Real Madrid dropped points for just the second time in six games as Raul de Tomas’ penalty restricted Los Blancos to a 1-1 draw away to Rayo Vallecano at the Estadio de Vallecas in LaLiga..
Rayo Vallecano, who sat in 15th-place prior to play, were not favored to get a result and it looked as though that would be the reality when Joselu opened the scoring for the league leaders after just three minutes.
A cross from Federico Valverde on the right wing was tapped home by the sliding number 14 who sent the ball back across the face of goal and into the right corner to give his side the lead, with them seeming destined to extend their gap at the top to eight points.
But, in what would turn out to be a game of limited chances, Rayo Vallecano were handed a lifeline when VAR awarded the home side a penalty for a handball against Eduardo Camavinga. De Tomasstepped up to send the down the middle and thus send ultras behind the goal wild.
Throughout the rest of the contest, Real Madrid were the busier side, controlling more of the ball and taking more shots although few were good chances except for one from Joselu in the 59th minute, which was saved by Stole Dimitrievski, whilst Rayo Vallecano had a non-existent threat in the second half.
Not much happened after the Joselu chance and the draw seemed inevitable, which of course it was, but there was time for one more moment of drama when Dani Carvajal collected two yellow cards within two minutes and was sent off.
The 32-year-old, with a lot of experienced, collected two rookie bookings. The first was for dissent to the referee Alejandro Muniz, whilst the second came when he lashed out at a Rayo Vallecano player earning him his marching orders.
He’s now the sixth starter Carlo Ancelotti will be without for their next game against Sevilla, which includes Jude Bellingham, and Camavinga who left the field injured.
