Without Kylian Mbappé, injured in the left thigh, Real Madrid was held in check (3-3) on the lawn of its neighbor Rayo Vallecano on Saturday after a crazy match, missing the opportunity to take the lead in the Spanish championship.
Trailing 2-0 in the 36th minute, the Madrid giant believed they were signing a new comeback thanks to three goals from the Uruguayan Federico Valverde (38th, 2-1), the Englishman Jude Bellingham (45th, 2-2) and the Brazilian Rodrygo (56th, 3-2) but conceded the equalizer on the hour mark on a ball from French defender Florian Lejeune cut by the left foot of local hero Isi Palazon (64th, 3-3).
Greatly shaken up in Vallecas, the reigning Spanish champion (2nd, 37 points with a match late) thus misses the opportunity to put pressure on its great rival FC Barcelona (1st, 38 points) by temporarily seizing of first place before the reception of Leganés on Sunday (9 p.m.) by the Blaugranas, and gives the opportunity to its other neighbor Atlético Madrid (3rd, 35 points with two matches in less) to steal second place in the event of success against Getafe on Sunday (2 p.m.).
The Brazilian Vinicius Junior, spared by his coach Carlo Ancelotti four days before the final of the Intercontinental Cup in Qatar against the Mexican club Pachuca, came into play in the 63rd minute but could not make the difference, no more than his younger brother Endrick nor the French midfielder Eduardo Camavinga, who returned to the field a little over two weeks after his left thigh injury in Liverpool at the end of November.
Navas farewells in Seville
This 17th day was notably marked by the moving farewell of Sevilla FC veteran Jesus Navas, 39, to his audience at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan stadium, after 703 matches played in the jersey of the Andalusian club and eight titles won, including 4 Europa League .
Entered the pitch through a guard of honor from the two teams during his team’s victory (1-0) against Celta Vigo, the former Manchester City player, who will retire at the end of the year 2024, left in the 71st minute in tears for his last home match.
World champion in 2010, winner of Euro 2012 and 2024, and the Nations League in 2023, the twirling right winger, converted full-back, will hang up his crampons as the most capped player in the history of Sevilla FC , and considered a legend of Spanish football.
Earlier in the afternoon, Girona, in numerical superiority from the half-hour mark, suffered a fifth defeat in their last six matches in all competitions by losing (2-1) on the pitch of Mallorca, which provisionally climbs to fifth place, qualifying for the Europa League.
