Some were quick to write off Real Madrid this season. While Barcelona has been rightly celebrated, many unjustly overlooked how formidable Real remains. The title race between Spain’s two biggest clubs is far from over. With the league leaders faltering in San Sebastián and blowing a two-goal lead in Vigo, Real has closed the gap to just four points and has a game in hand against Valencia. Despite being plagued by injuries, Carlo Ancelotti’s team comfortably handled their city rivals Leganés with a 3–0 win. This result restored confidence after defeats to Barcelona in El Clásico and AC Milan in the Champions League. Between those losses, the match against Osasuna added more injury woes with Éder Militão and Rodrygo joining the sidelines. Yet, the game at Butarque showcased just how powerful this Real Madrid side is, even when not at full strength.VINI ASSIST MBAPPE GOAL pic.twitter.com/wk0egVol7a— WolfRMFC (@WolfRMFC) November 24, 2024 After the 14th round of La Liga, Ancelotti achieved a rare feat. He has now beaten every one of his 27 La Liga opponents at least once, with no team managing to resist him. On top of that, Real Madrid extended their unbeaten away streak in La Liga to 21 games, inching closer to Barcelona’s record of 23. The goals scored by Real reflected the team’s resurgence. Kylian Mbappé finally broke his month-long scoring drought with a critical finish, thanks to Jude Bellingham’s persistence and Vinícius Júnior’s unselfishness. Federico Valverde, wearing the captain’s armband for the first time, delivered an impressive performance. Forced to play at right-back due to absences, Valverde also scored a brilliant long-range goal after a clever free-kick routine, effectively sealing the victory. Jude Bellingham added a third late on, capitalizing on a mistake by Renato Tapia. The Englishman is starting to regain form, scoring in consecutive matches. Young defender Raúl Asencio, filling in for the injured Militão, also delivered a solid performance in his first start for the team.Real dominated the midfield, with Dani Ceballos and Eduardo Camavinga controlling the tempo and limiting Leganés’ chances. While the home side attempted to challenge through De la Fuente, they rarely troubled Thibaut Courtois. Meanwhile, Leganés’ goalkeeper Marko Dmitrović made several crucial saves in the first half, including stopping efforts from Mbappé and Arda Güler, but couldn’t prevent the inevitable. With this win, Real Madrid is firmly back in the title race. Up next is a key game against Valencia, where they could further close the gap to Barcelona, signaling that the fight for La Liga is just beginning.LA LIGA – MATCHDAY 14FridayGetafe – Valladolid 2-0 (0-0)/Rodriguez 70, Nyom 73/SaturdayValencia – Betis 4-2 (1-1)/Tarrega 8, Duro 50, 53, Lopez 56 – Duro 14 og, Avila 66/Atl.Madrid – Alaves 2-1 (0-1)/Griezmann 76 pen, Sorloth 86 – Guridi 7 pen/Girona – Espanyol 4-1 (4-0)/Gil 4, Miovski 16, 21, Krejci 27 – Puado 55/Las Palmas – Mallorca 2-3 (0-0)/Essugo 77, Silva 83 pen – Rodriguez 46, Navarro 56, Mojica 90+1/Celta – Barcelona 2-2 (0-1)/Gonzalez 84, Alvarez 86 – Raphinha 15, Lewandowski 61/SundayOsasuna – Villareal 2-2 (2-0)/Budimir 8, 20(p) – Baena 67, Moreno 90+3(p)/Sevilla – Rayo Vallecano (1-0)/Sow 27/Leganes – Real Madrid 0-3 (0-1)/Mbappe 43, Valverde 66, Bellingham 85/23:00: (2.30) Ath.Bilbao (3.20) Sociedad (3.60)***odds are subject to change***
