Late Penalty, Red Cards, and a Madrid Victory: The Bernabéu Twist

Match Drama at the Bernabéu

The night at the Santiago Bernabéu delivered controversy and tension as Real Madrid defeated Rayo Vallecano 2-1, despite Vallecano finishing with nine men.

In the late stages, the visitors saw a red card shown to Paty Siss at the 80th minute after a hard challenge on Dani Ceballos.

Moments later, right-back Pep Chavarría picked up a second booking in the 103rd minute, pushing Rodrigo into the advertising board and earning a second yellow while the ball was not in play.

The decisive moment arrived on a late penalty in the 99th minute, awarding Madrid the winner and triggering anger in Vallecano’s camp, who felt their defense had been solid despite numerical disadvantage and sustained pressure.

After the match, Pep Chavarría expressed his sorrow in a poignant message on social media: "Today is one of the saddest days in my footballing career. This team deserves respect. Thanks to Rayo's fans, we will keep fighting against everything and everyone. God is just and sees all... faith."

Vallecano coach Íñigo Pérez questioned the length of stoppage time, saying his side defended their area well and expected extra time, but observed that the team did so with discipline and without feeling they'd concede a goal.

The game, lacking major VAR reviews or a flood of goals, stood out as one of the more controversial fixtures of the round, leaving Vallecano bitter and feeling wronged while Madrid collected three valuable league points.

Punchlines: If drama had a goal tally, this night would set a record. If VAR were a comedian, it would deliver a red card with perfect timing and a wink at the crowd.