Real Madrid beat Rayo 4:1: Mbappé scored twice, Bellingham and Carreras confirmed dominance at the Bernabéu
Real Madrid returned to winning ways in La Liga with a convincing 4:1 victory over Rayo Vallecano at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium in Madrid. José Mourinho's team did most of the work in the first half, when Kylian Mbappé, Álvaro Carreras and Jude Bellingham scored, while Sergio Camello briefly reduced the visitors' deficit early in the second half. Mbappé set the final score with his second goal in stoppage time. According to reports by Real Madrid and Reuters, the hosts imposed a high tempo during the opening 45 minutes, quickly punished their opponent's mistakes and created enough chances to effectively settle the match before the break. The victory came after a 1:0 league defeat to Real Betis in the previous round and put Madrid back on the winning track in the domestic championship.
The fifth-round match was played on September 12, 2026, and Real reached 12 points from five matches afterward. At the end of the match, they were level on points with Barcelona, but the Catalan side defeated Levante 4:2 the following day and maintained a perfect league record. Reuters reports that Barcelona have 15 points after five rounds, three more than Real Madrid. The victory over Rayo therefore kept the pressure on at the top of the table, but did not change the fact that the leading team still has a perfect record. Also important for Real was the way they reacted after the defeat to Betis: instead of cautiously entering the match, they played aggressively from the opening phase and attacked directly toward the visitors' goal.
Mbappé opened the scoring from the penalty spot
The first goal came in the 14th minute. According to Real Madrid's official report and Reuters' description of the match, Florian Lejeune brought down Álvaro Carreras inside the penalty area, and Mbappé gave the hosts the lead from the penalty spot. It was his sixth goal of the season, Reuters reports, and the French striker had already set the tone for an evening in which he was involved in almost all of Madrid's key attacking moves. Just three minutes later, Real doubled their advantage. Carreras and Mbappé played a quick combination inside the penalty area following a mistake by Rayo's defense in a move that also involved Vinícius Júnior, and the Spanish left-back finished precisely to make it 2:0.
The early goals completely changed the balance of power on the pitch. Rayo had to push farther forward, while Real gained space for quick attacks through Vinícius and Yan Diomande, who, according to Reuters, was making his first start for Real Madrid after arriving in August. The home side made particular use of width and speed in transition, while the visitors struggled to close down runs from deep. The official club report states that Vinícius struck powerfully in the 25th minute, but goalkeeper Emil Audero stopped his attempt and prevented the lead from growing even earlier. Real nevertheless continued creating chances and maintaining pressure on the visitors' defensive line.
Bellingham completed Real's best spell
The third goal arrived in the 35th minute after a move that summed up the difference between the teams in the first half. Bernardo Silva and Vinícius combined on the left, the Brazilian found Jude Bellingham with a cut-back, and the English midfielder calmly sent a first-time shot into the bottom corner. Real Madrid's official report highlights that move in particular as the peak of the home side's strong attacking period. Bellingham's goal made it 3:0 and allowed Mourinho's team to enter the second half with a substantial advantage. Mbappé could have extended the lead further before the break, but his shot from the edge of the penalty area in the 45th minute struck the post.
Rayo nevertheless showed late in the first half that they could threaten when given space to shoot from distance. Reuters reports that Andrei Rațiu forced Thibaut Courtois into a save, while Real Madrid's official report also records a dangerous effort by Pedro Díaz just before the break. Those attempts did not change the score, but they served as a warning to the hosts that the match was not completely over. Real went into halftime with a three-goal advantage, but the balance of play after the teams returned from the dressing rooms was no longer so one-sided. Mourinho also singled out precisely that drop in intensity after the match.
Rayo pulled one back and forced Courtois into action
The second half began much more favorably for the visitors. Pedro Díaz hit the woodwork in the 46th minute, and five minutes later Sergio Camello reduced the deficit to 3:1. Reuters describes the move as the result of Real cheaply losing possession, after which Camello slipped a shot through Ibrahima Konaté's legs and into the corner of Courtois' goal. Rayo then began keeping the ball for longer periods in the hosts' half, and the Belgian goalkeeper had to be considerably more active than in the first half. Whistles could also be heard from the Bernabéu stands because of the home team's drop in concentration, while Mourinho was visibly demanding more discipline from the touchline.
Real's coach did not hide after the match that he had expected a different rhythm in the second half. In a statement published on the club's official website, he said the objective had been to start the match strongly and steer it toward victory as early as possible. Mourinho also emphasized that, after their European exertions, the team did not have the same physical and mental energy for the second half as they had for the first. He specifically mentioned a drop in concentration, mistakes when building attacks and weaker pressure on the opponent. His assessment closely matched the course of the match: after the break, Rayo had more space and several periods in which they looked more dangerous than before halftime.
Real nevertheless managed to regain control without taking any major risk with the score. Vinícius forced Audero into another save in the 59th minute, while later Denzel Dumfries and Antonio Rüdiger threatened after Arda Güler crosses. The official club report states that Audero tipped the ball onto the crossbar in one of those situations. The visiting goalkeeper was one of the busiest players of the second half and prevented a heavier defeat on several occasions. His save from Mbappé's volley in the 83rd minute was particularly notable.
Güler brought freshness, Mbappé finished the match
Arda Güler's introduction gave Real additional creativity in the closing stages. Mourinho praised his influence on the game after the match and emphasized that the Turkish midfielder's quality changes the rhythm when he comes off the bench. Güler assisted the fourth goal in stoppage time, and Mbappé finished the counterattack with a precise first-time strike to make it 4:1. According to Real Madrid's official report, it was the Frenchman's seventh goal in six appearances in all competitions at that stage of the season. Reuters also reports seven goals in six matches, as Mbappé continued a highly efficient start to the campaign.
His contribution against Rayo was not limited to two goals. He was also involved in the move for Carreras' goal, constantly attacked the space behind the visitors' defense and came close to adding more goals several times. His first goal came from the penalty spot, his second from open play, and in between he struck the post and forced Audero into difficult saves. Such a variety of attacking solutions is important for Real because it allows them to decide matches both through possession and through transition. Combined with Vinícius' ability to create numerical advantages on the left and Bellingham's runs from deeper positions, the hosts' attacking structure against Rayo looked significantly more fluid than in the previous league defeat.
Carreras and Bellingham expanded the list of threats
Equally important for Mourinho is the fact that the victory did not depend exclusively on the forwards. Carreras first won the penalty and then scored himself, while Bellingham finished one of the best-worked moves of the match. Such contributions from different lines made it harder for Rayo to defend the space around their own penalty area. Real attacked in the first half both down the flanks and through central areas, meaning the visitors could not simply direct their defense toward Mbappé. From a tactical point of view, precisely that breadth of threat was one of the reasons the hosts managed to score three goals in a short period.
Bellingham's goal is particularly important in the context of his role in Mourinho's system. The Englishman often appears between midfield and attack, where he can participate in building moves while also making well-timed runs into the penalty area. Against Rayo, he finished the move after Vinícius' cut-back without an additional touch and without slowing down the attack. It was the type of situation in which his movement creates an additional goalscorer even when the opposing defense is focused on Mbappé. Real thereby gain attacking depth that does not depend solely on the classic final pass toward the center-forward.
Mourinho satisfied with the start, critical of the second half
Mourinho's post-match analysis was divided between satisfaction with the first half and criticism of the second. According to Real Madrid's publication, the Portuguese coach assessed that the plan had been to start strongly and create a decisive advantage early, which the team achieved. At the same time, he warned that concentration and pressing dropped after the break and that Rayo consequently gained more opportunities. Such an open assessment shows that the 4:1 scoreline did not conceal problems that could be punished against a stronger or more clinical opponent. Real had a large enough advantage in this match to survive a weaker spell, but in a congested schedule such drops remain an issue for the coaching staff.
The coach also spoke about competition within the squad, especially regarding Güler and Diomande. He said of Güler that he has quality and a positive influence on the game, which he confirmed against Rayo with an assist late in the match. Diomande, on the other hand, was given an opportunity from the first minute, and Mourinho explained that he wants to develop the young player gradually because he sees great potential in one-on-one situations and in different attacking roles. A deep squad gives the coach more options for rotation, which will be important during a period with matches in quick succession. The victory over Rayo also offered a practical example of how players from the bench can change the rhythm without completely changing the team's structure.
Vinícius without a goal, but with an important contribution
Although he was not among the scorers, Vinícius Júnior played an important role in Real's attacking game. He was involved in the move after which Carreras scored the second goal, and he provided the assist for Bellingham's goal with a cut-back. He also had attempts of his own, but Audero stopped him. Mourinho spoke specifically after the match about the Brazilian forward's physical condition and said that he is very close to his best speed, while at the same time demanding a greater contribution from him in the defensive phase. The coach emphasized that assists are currently coming more often, while he expects the goals to begin flowing again as well.
That description fits the match against Rayo, in which Vinícius was important without directly appearing on the scoresheet. His ability to attract multiple defenders created space for Carreras and Bellingham, and Real used that effectively in the first half. At the same time, the second half showed why Mourinho insists on defensive discipline from the wide players. When the intensity of the press dropped, Rayo found it easier to move forward and reached shooting positions more often. Precisely the balance between attacking freedom and work without the ball will be one of the key themes for Real as the season continues.
Barcelona remained three points ahead
The 4:1 victory temporarily moved Real Madrid level with Barcelona on 12 points, but the situation at the top changed on September 13. Reuters reported that Barcelona defeated Levante 4:2 away from home, with two goals from Lamine Yamal, and remained the only team with five victories from the opening five league matches. The Catalan club therefore reached 15 points and restored a three-point gap over Real. At this early stage of the championship, that difference is not decisive, but it shows how little room there is for dropped points in the race for the top. Real had already dropped their first points with the defeat to Betis, making convincing reactions such as this one against Rayo important both in terms of results and psychologically.
Rayo Vallecano, on the other hand, remained on four points after five rounds. The visiting side at the Bernabéu failed to reproduce the more stable periods of play from the beginning of the season, but showed in the second half that they can threaten Real when given space. Camello's goal and several chances after the break were a reward for a more aggressive approach. The problem was that the first-half deficit was already too large. Against a team with Real's individual quality, conceding three goals before halftime leaves very little realistic chance of a comeback.
Elche and the Madrid derby are next
Real Madrid do not have much time to rest. According to the schedule published by the club and LaLiga, their next league match is away against Elche on September 15, followed by the city derby against Atlético Madrid at the Metropolitano stadium on September 20. That means the victory over Rayo comes at the beginning of a period in which the schedule will quickly test the depth of the squad and its ability to maintain intensity. Mourinho's words about physical and mental energy in the second half therefore carry additional weight. Rotation and minute management could be just as important as selecting the starting lineup.
Ahead of those matches, Real can take several clear positives from the game against Rayo: Mbappé continues to score, Bellingham remains a threat from deeper positions, Carreras offers attacking contribution from the flank, and Güler showed that he can bring a change from the bench. At the same time, the second half of the match served as a warning that control cannot be taken for granted even with a three-goal lead. Real recorded their fourth consecutive home victory at the Bernabéu at that stage of the season, according to the club's official report, and responded to the defeat to Betis with a positive result. In the battle for the top of La Liga, the most important thing is that they kept pace with the leaders, while the upcoming away matches will already show whether they can turn that rhythm into a consistent run.
Sources:
- Real Madrid - official report from the Real Madrid - Rayo Vallecano match, course of the match, goalscorers and key chances (link)
- Reuters / The Star - match report, chronology of the goals, Mbappé's contribution and the standings after the match (link)
- Real Madrid - José Mourinho's post-match statement, analysis of the first and second halves and comments on Güler, Diomande and Vinícius (link)
- Reuters / The Star - report on Barcelona's 4:2 victory over Levante and the situation at the top of La Liga after five rounds (link)
- Real Madrid - officially published dates for the league matches against Rayo, Elche and Atlético Madrid (link)