Spirited Rayo Vallecano hold Real Madrid to 0-0 draw

MADRID - Real Madrid were held to a goalless draw away at Rayo Vallecano on Sunday, as the hosts became the first team to keep a clean sheet against the LaLiga leaders this season.

The result moved Xabi Alonso's Real Madrid to 31 points from 12 games, five points clear of second-placed Villarreal, while Rayo are 12th on 15 points.

The draw also opens the door for third-placed Barcelona to cut Real's lead to three points when they play Celta Vigo later on Sunday before they head into the international break.

Rayo keeper Augusto Batalla was the standout player of the match after the Argentine made several saves to deny Real, while the home side defended resolutely to keep their clean sheet.

REAL REMAIN WINLESS AT VALLECAS

LaLiga top scorer Kylian Mbappe, who has netted 13 league goals, had a quiet afternoon after the Frenchman was restricted to just one shot as Real failed to win at the Estadio de Vallecas for the fourth year in a row.

"I'm happy with the work of the team, we had chances as well to get three points. We fought till the end, we were up against a great team but at one point we decided to look after the result and take the point," a beaming Batalla said.

"We were up against a terrific team... We played really well to level things up because they're better than us. We had to have more intensity but Real were also very committed and it was an even game.

"We always talk about how we should work defensively. There's no secret to it, it's all about hard work. I wouldn't have made those saves if we didn't defend well."

Batalla was kept busy from the outset when Arda Guler tested him with a low shot in only the third minute while Vinicius Jr also forced a good save from the Argentine when he took a quick shot on the turn in the box.

Mbappe was kept quiet as the Frenchman failed to have a shot in the first half while Raul Asencio had arguably Real's best chance when he found himself unmarked in the box but his header from a Brahim Diaz cross flew wide.

STOP-START AFFAIR IN FIRST HALF

The first half was a stop-start affair with the referee constantly reaching into his pocket and brandishing five yellow cards.

Real increased the pressure after the break and Guler saw another shot from outside the box go wide.

Both Mbappe and Jude Bellingham also danced into the box with the ball, only for the Rayo's stubborn defence to smother their attempts to get a shot off in time.

There was concern for Real when Federico Valverde asked to be substituted late in the game with what seemed like a hamstring issue, with Trent Alexander-Arnold taking his place at right back.

Guler nearly won it at the end for Real in added time but the 20-year-old saw his shot go agonisingly wide as Rayo celebrated a valuable point. REUTERS