Jude Bellingham on Sunday struck late on to secure Real Madrid a 2-2 draw at Elche, taking his team top of Spanish La Liga by one point.
Xabi Alonso’s side struggled against their mid-table opponents in an entertaining battle in which Madrid twice came from behind.
Aleix Febas fired the hosts ahead before Dean Huijsen leveled for the league leaders, with Bellingham stabbing home from close range after Alvaro Rodriguez blasted Elche back in front.
Photo: EPA
Second-place Barcelona cut Madrid’s lead by two points over the weekend after they thrashed Athletic Bilbao 4-0 on Saturday in their first match back at Camp Nou.
“It’s football — after going in a good dynamic, we’ve had some results we don’t like, but we know what we want,” Alonso told reporters. “We’re not happy, because we always want to win.”
Alonso afforded Rodrygo Goes a rare start as part of the attack, while benching Vinicius Junior. The coach also gave Trent Alexander-Arnold his first start since August. The England international missed several weeks injured and is yet to find form following his summer switch from Liverpool.
Alexander-Arnold was partly to blame for Febas’ goal, with the midfielder sneaking in behind him to break the deadlock in the second half.
Elche impressed against Barcelona a few weeks ago and gave Madrid a tough night at the Estadio Martinez Valero.
Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois made a fine early save to deny Andre da Silva after Hector Fort teed him up.
The forward was involved in an unfortunate incident earlier in the day at Real Madrid’s annual general meeting, when Los Blancos displayed his photograph by accident in a tribute to former Liverpool striker Diogo Jota and his brother, Andre Silva, who both died in a car crash in July.
Former Barca goalkeeper Inaki Pena denied Kylian Mbappe after the French forward broke through on goal and then stopped the French superstar’s volley in Madrid’s best chance of the first half.
Elche stunned Madrid early in the second half with a slick move to take the lead.
German Valera’s superb backheel allowed Febas to dart behind Alexander-Arnold and squeeze a shot across goal, past Courtois and in off the post.
Alonso responded by sending on Vinicius and then young striker Gonzalo Garcia. Alexander-Arnold earned some redemption from his contribution to Madrid’s equalizer.
His cross was deflected against his own crossbar by a defender and behind for a corner. Alexander-Arnold whipped it in, and Bellingham flicked it on into Huijsen’s path to bash home.
Elche took the lead again when Rodriguez caught out Courtois with a powerful drive from the edge of the box.
However, three minutes later Madrid equalized for a second time, with Mbappe only just keeping the ball in for Bellingham to convert from point-blank range.
The England midfielder was in the spotlight back home earlier in the week after he was unhappy to be taken off by national team coach Thomas Tuchel.
Bellingham was not at his best against Elche, but was involved in both Madrid goals, highlighting his game-changing ability in the box even when otherwise quiet.
Elche were not happy that Vinicius collided with goalkeeper Pena before Bellingham’s goal, leaving the stopper with a bloody nose.
Pena himself said the clash was just something which happens in the game, but his coach Eder Sarabia was furious.
“It’s a clear foul, clear,” said Sarabia, who added he was not happy with just one point after his team’s fine display despite finishing with 10 men after Victor Chust’s late dismissal for a second yellow card.
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