Real Madrid secured a convincing 4-1 victory over Rayo Vallecano in the fifth round of La Liga, moving to 12 points and temporarily drawing level with leaders Barcelona. Barcelona were set to face Levante later on Sunday in the same round.
Real Madrid started the match on the front foot, pushing for an early goal, while Rayo Vallecano initially defended resolutely. That resistance broke in the 14th minute when Kylian Mbappe converted a penalty to give Madrid the lead.
Three minutes later, defender Alvaro Carreras doubled the advantage, combining with Mbappe inside the box before firing a shot that the Rayo goalkeeper could not stop.
In the 35th minute, Jude Bellingham made it 3-0, finishing powerfully from inside the area after a driving run and cross from Vinicius Junior on the left.
Early in the second half, Rayo Vallecano tried to respond and pulled one back in the 51st minute through Sergio Camello, who pounced on a defensive error near the Madrid box and slotted the ball past Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.
In the first minute of second-half stoppage time, Mbappe completed the scoring with his second goal and Madrid’s fourth. The move began on the left with Ivory Coast’s Yan Diomande, who passed to Arda Guler, and he in turn set up Mbappe on the right to fire into the net.
Real Madrid managed the remainder of the match to close out a 4-1 win. The result lifted Madrid to 12 points in second place, level with Barcelona, who could extend their lead when they face Levante later on Sunday in the same round. Rayo Vallecano remain on 4 points in 15th place.