Unconvincing Real Madrid survived a huge scare at rock bottom Rayo Vallecano when they conceded two quickfire second-half penalties but held on under severe pressure to secure a nervy 3-2 victory in La Liga on Saturday.
The world’s richest club by income, who play at Italian champions Juventus in Europe on Tuesday, were flying when a Cristiano Ronaldo double and a goal from Karim Benzema put them 3-0 ahead shortly after halftime.
However, Carlo Ancelotti’s expensively-assembled side were unable to control the match against their lowly city rivals and were left reeling when Jonathan Viera struck twice from the spot in three minutes after clumsy fouls by Pepe and Marcelo.
A valiant Rayo, whose squad is worth less than a tenth of their illustrious neighbours’ and whose fans unfurled a gigantic banner reading “Proud to be Poor” before kickoff, came close to equalising several times.
Real goalkeeper Diego Lopez saved his team with a host of fine saves and tipped an Alberto Bueno shot on to the post in the 65th minute.
Real’s glaring defensive failings will concern Ancelotti before the Juve game but the win trimmed the gap to second-placed Atletico Madrid to two points ahead of the latter’s game at home to Athletic Bilbao on Sunday.
Unbeaten champions Barcelona are top with 34 points from 12 matches after their 1-0 win at home to Espanyol in Friday’s Catalan derby, with Atletico on 30 and Real on 28. It was a stirring Rayo performance before their vociferous fans and overshadowed another fine display from Real’s world record signing Gareth Bale, whose start at the club after joining from Tottenham Hotspur has been disrupted by injury.
Real Sociedad showed off their attacking prowess ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League match against visitors Manchester United when the Basque club won 5-0 at home to 10-man Osasuna to climb to seventh. Sevilla’s erratic form continued when they lost 1-0 at home to Celta Vigo after a howler by goalkeeper Beto allowed Alex Lopez to score and they remain 11th on 13 points.
Promoted Almeria’s 1-0 victory against visiting Real Valladolid, the south coast club’s second win of the campaign, lifted them above Rayo on goal difference with nine points.
Valencia win
Valencia ended a run of three straight defeats and eased the pressure on Serbian coach Miroslav Djukic after recording a 1-0 win at Getafe in an ugly La Liga encounter on Sunday.
Dorlan Pabon struck the only goal in the 41st minute at the Coliseum. The game ended with brawling Valencia goalkeeper Vicente Guaita and Getafe defender Alexis Ruano having to be separated by officials and team mates. The victory lifted the visitors to ninth place with 16 points from 12 matches while Getafe stayed sixth on 19.