Real Madrid encountered a frustrating goalless draw against Rayo Vallecano at the Santiago Bernabeu on Monday night. Despite a dominant start, the visitors’ resolute defense limited Real Madrid’s clear-cut chances. Jude Bellingham and Joselu, the two most expensive teenagers in world football, had uneventful performances.

Real Madrid began brightly with possession dominance but faced difficulties breaking down Rayo Vallecano’s well-organized defense. The visitors opted to counter-attack and posed a threat when doing so.

The best opportunity of the first half came from Madrid’s Vinicius Junior. The Brazilian winger launched a powerful shot within the box, but Rayo Vallecano’s goalkeeper, Stole Dimitrievski, pulled off a remarkable save to keep the score level.

Madrid continued their pursuit of a goal in the second half but encountered staunch resistance from Rayo Vallecano. The visitors defended in numbers, making it challenging for Madrid to create clear-cut chances.

Jude Bellingham, who joined Madrid from Borussia Dortmund for a club-record €100 million in the summer, was disappointed with an anonymous and ineffective performance.

Joselu, who arrived at Rayo Vallecano from Espanyol for a club-record €25 million in the summer, also had a quiet night. The Spanish striker found himself under close surveillance by Real Madrid’s defense and had limited opportunities to test Thibaut Courtois in the Madrid goal.

The goalless draw marked a frustrating conclusion to a disappointing night for Real Madrid. The reigning La Liga champions must significantly improve if they aspire to challenge for the title this season.

Real Madrid Player Ratings

Thibaut Courtois – 6 Dani Carvajal – 6 Antonio Rudiger – 6 David Alaba – 6 Fran Garcia – 6 Eduardo Camavinga – 6 Federico Valverde – 6 Luka Modric – 6 Vinicius Junior – 7 Karim Benzema – 5

Substitutes

Rodrygo Goes – 5 Toni Kroos – 5 Nacho Fernandez – N/A

Manager

Carlo Ancelotti – 5

Overall, Real Madrid’s underwhelming performance against Rayo Vallecano highlighted their creativity issues and profligacy in front of goal. Jude Bellingham and Joselu, the world’s most expensive teenagers, had unremarkable outings.