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Fans reacted on social media as Real Madrid's La Liga away clash against Rayo Vallecano ended in a 1-1 draw on Sunday, February 18.
The game started quickly with Real Madrid taking the lead in the third minute. Joselu scored with a first-time finish after Federico Valverde powered a cross into the penalty area. Although the goal was initially called offside, the decision was overturned after VAR judged that there had been no infractions.
Rayo Vallecano didn't take long to respond, though, as Raul de Tomas scored his first La Liga goal of the season with a penalty in the 27th minute. Eduardo Camavinga handled the ball, leading to the penalty. De Tomas placed his effort in the center, leaving Los Blancos goalkeeper Andriy Lunin diving to one side.
The final moments were tense as Dani Carvajal received two yellow cards in quick succession in the 95th minute, getting sent off right before the end of the game. Not much else of note happened in the game, and it ended with fans having mixed feelings about the game.
One fan wrote on X:
"They fell asleep after minute 30"
Another tweeted:
"We need Mbappe immediately!"
Here is a selection of their posts:
Another fan noted the performances:
One fan said:
Carlo Ancelotti discusses Real Madrid's struggle in draw with Rayo Vallecano
Real Madrid began strongly in their recent match against Rayo Vallecano, scoring early and almost adding more, notably when Federico Valverde hit the post. However, the game changed after the Madridistas conceded a penalty.
Speaking to the press afterwards, Ancelotti noted this moment made the match tougher and more interrupted (via Forbes):
"Until the penalty, we did everything right. After the penalty, the game changed, there were more duels, more fighting, more interruptions. It wasn't easy to look for ideas in that situation. We fought for it, [and] it was a draw that doesn't make us happy, but we kept going. We are very well positioned. Calm, calm and prepare well for the next match."
He went on to address the criticisms for failing to win the match, telling the press:
"What can I say? That's fine. You have to win every game, but to win the league, it's important that you don't lose the games you can't win. Sometimes there are draws that hurt a bit, but in the end it can be a positive step to help us win the league."
Next, Real Madrid will have to face Sevilla and Valencia in the league, before inviting RB Leipzig for the second leg of their UEFA Champions League round-of-16 clash.
