Real Madrid rescued a 2-2 draw at Elche on Sunday after coming from behind twice in a pulsating second half.
The result extended Madrid’s winless run to three games in all competitions, but regained top spot in La Liga with 32 points, one ahead of Barcelona.
After a mediocre first half, Elche struck first in the 53rd minute after an impressive team action. German Varela’s superb back-heel assist found Aleix Febas in the penalty area, and the midfielder took one touch before subtly sliding the ball past goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois via the post.
Madrid leveled in the 81st minute through Dean Huijsen. The centre-back reacted quickest to a loose ball after a corner kick and fired in from close range to bring the visiting team back into the game.
However, Elche was not deterred and took the lead again three minutes later.
Alvaro Rodriguez controlled a well-timed pass on the edge of the penalty area with his first touch before drilling a low, accurate shot into the bottom left corner, leaving Courtois no chance.
Madrid fought valiantly to avoid defeat, and in the 87th minute Jude Bellingham found the crucial equalizer.
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Kylian Mbappe showed determination to keep a ball in play near the byline, completing a clever return into the penalty area that Bellingham calmly smashed into the back of the net to secure a point for his team.
«Three games without a win? That’s football,» coach Xabi Alonso told reporters. “We are not happy because we always want to win, but there are still many games to play.
«The team has not fallen apart; the team is still competing. The results and the game can be improved because we are self-critical. It is in case of adversity that we have to react.»
OPPOSITES
Alonso changed sides after successive setbacks, a 1-3 defeat at Liverpool in the Champions League, followed by a goalless draw against Rayo Vallecano.
He made four changes to Madrid’s starting XI and deployed a five-man defense reminiscent of Club World Cup tactics.
Arda Guler and Dani Ceballos started in midfield to increase control, while Rodrygo, Bellingham and Mbappé were in attack. Regular starters Federico Valverde and Vinicius Jr started on the bench.
Despite the reshuffle, Madrid struggled to build rhythm or create meaningful attacking combinations in the first period. The defensive vulnerability was exposed early on when Elche striker Rafa Mir forced a trademark reflex save from Courtois in the 17th minute.
At the other end, Guler came close in the 25th minute with a shot just wide of the crossbar, but Elche looked more threatening. André Silva squandered two golden opportunities for the home team: he went wide of Courtois in the 27th minute and saw another attempt denied by the Belgian keeper in the 38th minute.
Mbappé had Madrid’s best chance of the half. He broke through in the 30th minute with a counter-attack, shooting directly at Elche keeper Inaki Pena from the penalty area.
Alonso remained confident in his starting XI after the break and Rodrygo almost broke the deadlock in the 47th minute with a curling shot destined for the top corner, but Pena denied him with a brilliant save.
After Febas’ opener, Alonso responded by introducing Vinicius, Valverde and Eduardo Camavinga, and Madrid became livelier, but it was not enough to secure a much-needed win.
Published on November 24, 2025
