Real Madrid Regain La Liga Lead After Dramatic Draw with Elche

Madrid: Los Blancos reclaim top spot in the Spanish La Liga after a dramatic 2-2 draw, powered by the England midfielder’s goal and assist.

A late strike from Jude Bellingham earned Real Madrid a hard-fought 2-2 draw against a resilient Elche side, a result that was enough to propel Xabi Alonso’s team back to the summit of La Liga. In a pulsating encounter at the Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero, Madrid twice came from behind, with Bellingham at the heart of both equalizers.

The English midfielder first provided the assist for Dean Huijsen’s 78th-minute leveler before firing home a crucial goal himself with just three minutes of normal time remaining. Elche, positioned comfortably in the mid-table, had taken a deserved lead eight minutes after the restart through Aleix Febas, who finished smartly past Thibaut Courtois.

After Huijsen had drawn Madrid level, the home side looked to have secured a historic victory when Álvaro Rodríguez found the net from the edge of the area with six minutes left.

However, Bellingham had the final say, arriving to convert a Kylian Mbappé cut-back for his third goal in four league appearances, ensuring the points were shared. The hosts’ frustration was compounded deep into added time when defender Víctor Chust received a second yellow card for a foul on Mbappé. The single point sees Real Madrid move back above Barcelona, ​​who had temporarily taken first place with a 4-0 win over Athletic Club on Saturday.

Elche remain in 11th position. The match was an entertaining affair from the outset. Mbappé was the focal point of Madrid’s first-half threats, twice being denied by Elche goalkeeper Iñaki Peña. The home side also created significant chances, with Courtois called into action to deny Rafa Mir and André da Silva.

The second half continued in a similar, end-to-end fashion, with Peña tipping a powerful Rodrygo effort over the bar before Courtois produced another fine save to thwart Febas just before the midfielder’s opening goal.

Despite being denied a win, Real Madrid’s resilience, orchestrated by the in-form Bellingham, ensured they departed with a valuable point and the league leadership. The team now turns its attention to the UEFA Champions League, where they face Olympiacos on Wednesday, 26 November 2025.