Late-Drama La Liga Standstill: Real Madrid Grab a Point in a 2-2 Thriller Against Elche
23 November 2025
Match Snapshot
Real Madrid were held to a 2-2 draw by Elche in La Liga matchday 13 at the Martinez Valero stadium. The visitors twice took the lead through Din Huisen (78th minute) and Jude Bellingham (87th minute), but Elche answered with goals from Alex Vibas (53rd) and Alvaro Rodriguez (84th).
Madrid’s late shows kept them in the hunt for the title, but the points were shared in a game that swung on a knife-edge until the final whistle.
Madrid finish the day on 32 points, keeping them top of the table but just one point ahead of Barcelona. Elche move to 16 points, solidly in mid-table in 13th place.
Lineups saw Rodrigo and Mbappe leading the attack for Madrid, with Vinicius Jr. and Fede Valverde among those relegated to the subs bench. Trent Alexander-Arnold started at right-back for the visitors, a choice that drew its own reactions from the stands.
Elche’s starting XI included Pena, Fort, Avengrober, Shost, Nunez, Aguado, German, Vibas, Diangan, Rafa Mir and Da Silva. The opening exchanges suggested a cautious mood, with Madrid pushing early and Mbappe almost finding the net after a crisp pass from Asensio, only for a narrow miss that kept the gate shut.
The breakthrough came in the second half when Elche struck first in the 52nd minute, a move that began with a swift exchange between Alex Vibas and German Valera, and ended with Vibas finishing from close range after a deft touch within the box, clipping the post as it crossed the line.
Madrid’s pressure intensified, and they nearly drew level through a rapid counter in the 71st minute, leading to a dangerous cross that was cleared at the last moment by the Elche defense.
78th minute saw Asensio deliver a corner that found its way to the back of the net via a touch from Isen (Huisen) and a final poke from the goalkeeper, before Elche regained the advantage in the 83rd through Alvaro Rodriguez’s sharp finish from a tight angle. Madrid pressed for an equalizer and found it in the 87th minute when Bellingham collected a loose ball and fired home on the rebound to make it 2-2.
The game ended with Madrid’s relentless pressure yielding a deserved point, but the result leaves the title race as tight as ever, with Barcelona waiting in the wings and Elche breathing easier around the relegation zone.
Shouts from the touchline: Madrid began with Rodrigo and Mbappe up front, while Vinicius Jr. and Valverde watched from the bench as the clock ticked on. Elche’s defense, by contrast, showed resilience after going behind, with goalkeeper Iñaki Peña making a string of important saves to keep the scoreline alive.
Key moments: 3’ early Madrid pressure fizzles; 13’ Gährmann Valera’s header misses narrowly; 29’ Mbappe and 32’ Pena standoff; 52’ Elche breaks the deadlock; 78’ Asensio’s corner leads to a controversial finish; 83’ Alvaro Rodriguez pounces; 87’ Bellingham clinches a dramatic equalizer.
Final score: Elche 2-2 Real Madrid. A draw that feels more like a victory for Madrid’s campaign, and a reminder that La Liga can surprise even the heavyweights.
— Sniper’s punchline 1: If this season were a movie, Madrid would be the hero who trips over a chair but still lands the final punchline with a punchy 2-2 twist. Punchline 2: Elche defended like a brick wall with a generous gap—enjoy the defense, because the goalkeepers clearly did have the evening off.
