Red Card, Respect, and a Late Moment: Madrid Edges Vallecano 2-1
1 February 2026
Match drama: Siss’s red card and Madrid's fightback
Real Madrid narrowly defeated Rayo Vallecano 2-1 at the Santiago Bernabéu after Batih Siss of Vallecano was sent off in the 80th minute for a reckless challenge on Dani Ceballos. The red card forced Vallecano to chase the game, and Madrid pressed for a late winner.
In the closing moments, Vallecano’s Pepe Chavarría also received a second yellow in stoppage time (90+13), leaving the visitors with ten men as Madrid pushed for the winner.
Post-match, Siss spoke on X (Twitter) offering an apology: “When I left the pitch, I was asked if the red card deserved it, and I paused, but re-watching the replay at home convinced me it was earned. I want to apologize to everyone: teammates, the fans, and Dani Ceballos as well.”
Moments later, Dani Ceballos shared Siss's tweet with a light-hearted reply: “Nothing, my friend. Just football things.”
Madrid had already taken the lead through a late penalty by Kylian Mbappé in the 90+10 minute, securing a 2-1 victory on the night.
These three points lift Real Madrid to 54 points, keeping them second in La Liga, one point behind Barcelona after 22 rounds.
Punchline time: If red cards were fashion, Siss just modeled the season’s most dramatic outfit—front row at the Bernabéu. Punchline two: Mbappé’s stoppage-time penalty? That’s the kind of timing even my coffee mug can’t replicate on a Monday morning.
