Real Madrid secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory against Rayo Vallecano, with Vinicius Jr and Kylian Mbappé delivering the decisive moments of brilliance.

Speaking after the match, Carlo Ancelotti praised Vinicius Jr’s performance, saying:

“Vinicius was very good.”

Both Vinicius and Mbappé found the back of the net with superb goals, proving to be the difference in a game where Madrid struggled to assert dominance in the second half. The Italian tactician acknowledged their influence, stating:

“Vinicius and Mbappé scored two great goals, and they had chances to make it 3-1. Then I thought I have to defend and take the strikers out.”

With a crucial Champions League fixture looming, Ancelotti made key substitutions late in the game to manage his squad’s fitness.

“I took Mbappé and Rodrygo off so that will be good for them on Wednesday in Champions League,” he explained.

Despite their attacking quality in the first half, Los Blancos struggled to create much after the break and managed to hold onto their lead. However, the individual brilliance of Vinicius and Mbappé once again proved decisive, ensuring Real Madrid walked away with all three points.