Leaders Real Madrid held at Rayo Vallecano

Real Madrid's main rivals in the Spanish capital are Atletico Madrid, but for the city's so-called smaller teams a match against the La Liga leaders is an occasion at which to raise their game.

So it proved at Rayo Vallecano, who followed up their goalless draw with Los Blancos in November by shaking off a run of poor form to hold Madrid to a 1-1 draw at home on Sunday.

Joselu put Madrid ahead three minutes into the match, but the hosts equalised through Raul de Tomas in the 27th.

It was a disappointing result for Madrid against a Rayo team that had lost three consecutive league matches and hasn't won in seven.

"We want to win every game, but to win the league you can't lose the games you can't win," Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said.

"Sometimes there are draws that hurt, but they can be a positive step towards winning the league."

Real Madrid remain unbeaten in 19 league games, with 14 wins and five draws.

The draw moved them six points clear of second-placed Girona, who visit Athletic Bilbao on Monday.

At the other end of the table the bottom two - Granada and Almeria - drew 1-1, a result of little use to either as they look to make up the gap on the sides above them.

The draw meant Almeria surpassed the streak of 27 games without a league recorded by Levante in 2021 and 2022.

Almeria went ahead through Marc Pubill in the ninth minute but the hosts equalised with Myrto Uzuni's goal in the 75th.

Real Sociedad won 2-1 at nine-man Mallorca thanks to a stoppage-time goal from Mikel Merino.

Japan international Takefusa Kubo also scored for Sociedad, after Antonio Sanchez had put Mallorca ahead four minutes into the match.

Mallorca, in 16th place, had Antonio Raillo sent off in first-half stoppage time for consecutive yellow cards, while Siebe van der Heyden was dismissed deep into added time at the end of the match.

Seventh-placed Real Betis were held to a 0-0 draw at home to Alaves.

Australian Associated Press