Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior were both on target for Real Madrid as they beat Rayo Vallecano 2-1 on Sunday to pull level with La Liga leader Barcelona.
Real Madrid rose one point above Atletico Madrid who suffered a surprise 2-1 defeat to Getafe earlier, while Barca’s match on Saturday against Osasuna was postponed because of the death of one of the Catalan club’s doctors.
Carlo Ancelotti’s Madrid produced a solid, if not spectacular, performance to get the better of their local rivals, ahead of the huge Champions League derby clash against Atletico beckoning on Wednesday.
“Vinicius and Mbappe scored two spectacular goals, and they had chances for the third,” said Ancelotti. “The first half was very good, when you get to the 70th, 75th minute with a 2-1 lead, you have to do one thing well, which is to defend it, so you don’t have problems.”
SUBSCRIBE TO KEEP READING
Start for $0 & enjoy free unlimited access for 30 days.
- Daily TV listings for U.S. and global soccer.
- Inside access to USA’s 2026 World Cup prep.
- Exclusive interviews with players and coaches.
- Expert analysis of top soccer headlines.
- Cancel anytime.
Already have an account? Sign in here.
CHECK OUT MORE STORIES
Not ready to subscribe? Sign up here for our free newsletter.
Already have an account? Sign in here.