Real Madrid secured another late victory in La Liga on Saturday afternoon, overturning a deficit to defeat Las Palmas 2-1 in Gran Canaria.
Without the presence of the suspended Jude Bellingham, Madrid found themselves trailing to a goal from their former academy player, Javi Munoz, in the 53rd minute. Vinicius Junior equalized shortly thereafter, but it wasn’t until the 84th minute, mere seconds after coming off the bench, that Aurelien Tchouameni powered in a match-winning header.
This hard-fought victory returns Madrid to the top of the La Liga standings, holding a two-point lead over Girona.
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In the lead-up to the match, Carlo Ancelotti expressed concern about his team’s recent defensive struggles, citing a “lost solidity” in their play. Madrid had conceded ten goals in their last four games, matching their total from the previous 14 matches.
Las Palmas, with one of the league’s top defenses, displayed a solid but somewhat cautious style. Madrid struggled to break through the well-organized defense for the first hour, and Alvaro Valles, Las Palmas’ goalkeeper, made notable saves. The absence of Bellingham was evident.
Although the Las Palmas crowd had expressed dissatisfaction with their team’s performance in the first half, the hosts started the second half with renewed energy. Sandro Ramirez missed a clear chance early in the half, but he redeemed himself by providing an assist for Munoz to score.
With Bellingham unavailable, Vinicius, who had seen a diminished role this season, stepped up. Eduardo Camavinga, also growing into the game, delivered a well-placed pass over Las Palmas’ defense, allowing Vinicius to control and score with his weaker left foot.
As the match approached its conclusion, Tchouameni, entering as a substitute, made a decisive impact reminiscent of Bellingham. In a game where set pieces were Madrid’s primary avenue to goal, Tchouameni’s header from a corner, beating Valles, secured the victory with six minutes remaining.