Kylian Mbappe stayed calm to roll home a 100th-minute penalty and claim Real Madrid a 2-1 win over nine-man Rayo Vallecano on Sunday in a spicy La Liga derby clash.
Bellingham injured
Los Blancos cut Barcelona’s lead back to one point at the top of the table after the Spanish champions beat Elche on Saturday. Vinicius Junior scored early on for Madrid after Jude Bellingham limped off with a hamstring injury which is expected to keep him out for around a month.
Jorge de Frutos pulled Rayo level early in the second half as Madrid fans showed their anger at their team following the midweek Champions League defeat at Benfica. After Pathe Ciss’s red card tilted the game in Madrid’s favour, Mbappe netted from the spot at the death for his 22nd La Liga goal this season. Pep Chavarria was also sent off in the final stages for Rayo.
Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa said it would take time before the team could become more consistent, having had six games at the helm since replacing Xabi Alonso. “I’m not Gandalf the White,” he told reporters, referring to the fictional wizard from the Lord of the Rings.
‘Consistency is key’
“What I want from my players is what I’m seeing, commitment, attitude, mentality, knowing that to win each game quality is not enough, consistency is key… we will work on that,” Arbeloa added. The coach said Bellingham would be a “big absence” for the matches ahead after he limped off early.
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