Real Madrid vs. Rayo Vallecano: Score, Grades and Reaction from La Liga Game

Gareth Bale scored on his return to first-team action as Real Madrid retained their two-point lead at the top of La Liga with a 5-1 win over Rayo Vallecano on Saturday.

Having briefly been displaced at the head of the table after Barcelona came from behind to beat Almeria earlier in the day, Real were made to sweat by Rayo before ultimately running out comfortable winners in the second half.

Bale and Sergio Ramos both netted to give Carlo Ancelotti’s side a comfortable advantage shortly before half-time, but Alberto Bueno found the net just before the break to halve the deficit and keep the match in the balance.

Real were uncharacteristically nervy at the start of the second half before standout performer Toni Kroos relieved the tension with an exquisite strike from 25 yards. Subsequent goals from Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo delivered the sort of one-sided scoreline many neutrals would have expected beforehand.

Real now have 27 points from a possible 33 to start the campaign. Rayo have 11 from their 11 games, good enough for 12th place in the current standings.

The return of Bale, after a short layoff through injury, was anticipated before the game, while Ancelotti also opted to change his back line, bringing goalkeeper Keylor Navas in for a league start and picking Nacho at full-back.

Meanwhile, under manager Paco Jemez, Rayo seemed to eschew the defensive, negative tactics that almost all sides adopt when they come to the Santiago Bernabeu. As it turned out, it was to their detriment, as Real opened the scoring after just nine minutes.

It was Bale who would grab the goal, the Welshman anticipating brilliantly at the far post as Kroos’ low cross found its way across the goalmouth for the world’s most expensive player to turn home.

You could have forgiven Rayo for being demoralised by that early moment, but they continued to push forward and created a number of good opportunities, as Leo Baptistao frequently looked dangerous. None of the chances significantly worried Navas, however, and five minutes before half-time, Real added to their lead.

It was Sergio Ramos who grabbed his 50th goal for Real Madrid (not a bad tally for a defender), as he latched under centre-back partner Pepe’s headed cross to turn it home at the near post.

Real were finally cruising, although that did not last as long as they would've liked. On the stroke of half-time, some calamitous defending enabled Rayo to get on the scoreboard, Baptistao fed Bueno, who slotted home calmly as Pepe inadvertently wiped out the scrambling Navas.

Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images

In the second half, it was the visitors, perhaps emboldened by their goal, who emerged more ambitious, with Real forced to deal with a number of dangerous crosses as they attempted to hold onto their lead. They also had one lucky escape: Baptistao beating Navas with a low effort before seeing it ruled out for an offside that must have been very tight.

Real looked like they needed a moment of inspiration to kill off the game, and it came from one of their most influential players on the night in Kroos. The pass to the German midfielder from Ronaldo was astute, but the finish was even better: a low, measured shot that curled around goalkeeper Cristian Alvarez and into the net.

From that point, the home side were finally in control, and this time they would not let up. Salt was rubbed into Rayo’s wounds when Benzema—clearly offside—turned home Ronaldo’s attempted shot on the hour mark, before the Portuguese rounded off the scoring in the final 10 minutes with a weak shot that dribbled past Alvarez.

It was a sour note to finish on for the goalkeeper, who had done well to deal with all the other shots Ronaldo had directed at him.

This was far from a vintage performance from Real, but they will doubtless be content with another three points and another five goals in the “goals scored” column.

Rayo will trudge off feeling hard done by, but the overall quality of their performance should give them cause for optimism as they look to push forward and remain safely above the relegation zone. 

Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images

Player Ratings

Player	Rating
Keylor Navas	6
Nacho	6
Pepe	7
Sergio Ramos	7
Marcelo	7
Toni Kroos	8
Luka Modric	7
James Rodriguez	6
Gareth Bale	7
Cristiano Ronaldo	7
Karim Benzema	6
Substitutions
Isco	7
Alvaro Medran	6
Javier Hernandez	6

Player	Rating
Cristian Alvarez	7
Ze Castro	7
Tito	7
Abdoulaye Ba	7
Emiliano Insua	6
Mohamed Fatau	6
Robert Trashorras	7
Lica	6
Alberto Bueno	7
Gael Kakuta	6
Leo Baptistao	7
Substitutions
Quini	6
Jozabed	6
Manucho	6

What's Next?

With the international break bringing a temporary hiatus, Real Madrid's next game is against Eibar on November 22. Rayo Vallecano will look to bounce back against Celta Vigo a day later.