Barcelona reclaimed the top spot in La Liga with a strong win on their long-awaited return to Camp Nou. But the joy didn’t last long. A day later, Real Madrid ensured they stayed in front—though just barely. The Spanish giants drew 2-2 against Elche on Sunday, thanks to a late strike from Jude Bellingham. Despite failing to secure a victory, Real moved one point ahead of Barca in the standings.
Real now sits at 32 points from 13 matches, with Barcelona following closely behind on 31. The draw also marked Madrid’s second consecutive match without a win.
“We fought until the last minute, and that made the difference,” a Real team insider reportedly remarked after the match.
Bellingham rescued his team in the 87th minute with a simple tap-in. Just moments earlier, former Real player Álvaro Rodríguez had stunned his old club with a brilliant long-range effort, giving Elche hope of ending a six-match winless streak.
Elche Threatens an Upset but Real Madrid Responds Late
Elche’s confidence grew after Alex Fabas put them ahead early in the second half. He netted in the 53rd minute, finishing off a clever backheel from Valera. Real eventually equalized when Dean Huissen pounced on a loose ball inside the box with 12 minutes left.
Elche quickly regained momentum. Mir and Martín Neto both came close, and Rodríguez ultimately restored their lead with a thunderous strike from the edge of the area six minutes before the end of regular time.
“Elche played with heart and intensity—we almost had them,” a local supporter was heard saying after the match.
But Madrid refused to fold. When Elche failed to defend a late free kick, Bellingham appeared in the right place at the right time, slotting home the equalizer.
Their frustrations only grew when Víctor Chust was shown a second yellow card for a foul on Kylian Mbappé deep into stoppage time, ending Elche’s night on a sour note.
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