In a match that was thrilling from the outset, Real Madrid squandered two valuable points at Vallecas Stadium, the home ground of their fierce rivals Rayo Vallecano. The encounter ended in a goalless draw after a match that saw numerous missed opportunities from both sides, particularly from the Royal Club, who failed to capitalize on their dominance of possession. Real Madrid were expected to secure a victory and strengthen their lead in La Liga, but a combination of bad luck and poor performance prevented them from doing so in the match played on Sunday evening as part of the 12th round of La Liga.
Real Madrid Remains Top Despite Draw
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With this draw, Real Madrid increased their points tally to 31, maintaining their position at the top of the La Liga table. However, the gap with Villarreal – in second place – has narrowed to just five points. Barcelona, meanwhile, has the opportunity to reduce the deficit to their arch-rivals to three points if they manage to defeat Celta Vigo in their match scheduled for this evening.
Unconvincing Performance: Camavinga and Díaz Under Scrutiny
But the result is only the first part of the story in this encounter. According to reports from the Spanish newspaper El Nacional, Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso, who has led the team to numerous victories recently, expressed significant dissatisfaction with the performance of some of his key players, most notably Eduardo Camavinga and Brahim Díaz. Alonso had included them in the starting lineup against Rayo Vallecano, but was surprised by their noticeably poor performances throughout the match.
While Camavinga possesses the technical and physical attributes that make him one of the most prominent midfielders, he failed to live up to expectations in this game, committing several technical errors in passing. As for Brahim Díaz, who was expected to provide glimpses of skill and creativity on the wings, he appeared lost, failing to penetrate Rayo Vallecano’s defense or deliver decisive passes to his teammates.
The Expected Decision: A Possible Exclusion from the Starting Lineup
Following this poor performance, it has become clear that Alonso does not plan to give Camavinga and Díaz further opportunities in the starting lineup for upcoming matches. According to the same sources, the Spanish coach is seriously considering dropping the players from the starting lineup, at least until they show a significant improvement in their performance. Alonso believes that Real Madrid cannot afford to drop points in matches like these, and that poor performances from players in key positions, such as midfield and attack, will negatively impact the team in upcoming competitions.
