Mbappe keeps Madrid in contact with La Liga leadersStaff WritersAPMon, 2 February 2026 6:13AM
Kylian Mbappe has come through for Real Madrid again, converting a penalty kick 10 minutes into added time to salvage a 2-1 win over Rayo Vallecano and move Madrid back within a point of Spanish league leaders Barcelona.
Vinicius Junior also scored for Madrid after again being jeered by fans early on at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. England international Jude Bellingham, also booed when the line-up was announced, had to be replaced 10 minutes into Sunday’s match because of an apparent left hamstring injury.
Madrid were coming off a 4-2 loss at Benfica that dropped them out of the eight automatic spots for the Champions League last 16.
“We came from a tough defeat, one that nobody ever wants, in the Champions, a competition many of us aspire to win,” Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde said.
“We wanted to change that image, today we had the first opportunity, and I think we played a great game.”
It was a thriller in the capital, with Mbappe coolly converting the last-gasp spot kick for his eighth goal in five matches.
The result allowed Alvaro Arbeloa’s side to keep pace with Barcelona (55 points), who won 3-1 at Elche on Saturday.
“It was a victory in which the players put a lot of energy, their soul,” said Arbeloa, who took over after replacing Xabi Alonso last month.
“We needed the help of the fans and without their push we would not have achieved it.”
The boos toward Vinicius were subdued after he scored a superb goal in the 15th minute. The Brazil international cleared a couple of defenders before curling a right-footed shot into the top corner.
Rayo, who played a man down from the 80th minute after Pathe Ciss was red carded, equalised through Jorge De Frutos in the 49th.
Vallecano also saw Pep Chavarria shown a second yellow in the final minutes of added time.
The visitors dropped to 17th, one point above the relegation zone.
Elsewhere in La Liga, Athletic Bilbao jumped three spots to 11th after a 1-1 draw at home to eighth-placed Real Sociedad in the Basque derby.
Pablo Fornals scored an 88th-minute winner to give fifth-placed Real Betis a 2-1 win over Valencia (15th), while seventh-placed Celta Vigo drew 0-0 at Getafe (16th).
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