Jude Bellingham came to Real Madrid’s rescue once again, scoring a dramatic late equaliser and providing an assist as Los Blancos reclaimed top spot in La Liga with a 2-2 draw against Elche at the Estadio Manuel Martínez Valero.
The England midfielder showcased his growing influence under Xabi Alonso, firing home from Kylian Mbappé’s cut-back three minutes from time to secure a vital point. Madrid had twice fallen behind in a tense encounter, but Bellingham’s third goal in four league games ensured they edged back above Barcelona in the standings.
Elche took the lead eight minutes after the restart when Aleix Febas poked a low shot past Thibaut Courtois and in off the right-hand post. The home crowd erupted as the mid-table side sensed an upset. Madrid’s pressure eventually told 12 minutes from time, as former Bournemouth defender Dean Huijsen prodded home from close range after Bellingham’s clever knockdown to level the score.
The drama continued when Alvaro Rodriguez restored Elche’s advantage in the 84th minute with a precise low strike from the edge of the box. But Madrid refused to yield, and their persistence paid off when Bellingham, calm under pressure, lashed in Mbappé’s pass to make it 2-2.
Tempers flared late on as Elche’s Victor Chust was dismissed deep into stoppage time for a second yellow card after a foul on Mbappé, leaving the hosts to finish with ten men.
The first half had been equally lively. Mbappé was a constant threat, forcing a save from goalkeeper Iñaki Peña after breaking through the defence. Trent Alexander-Arnold, playing in an advanced wing-back role, almost created the opener for the French striker, but Mbappé’s first-time effort was again well saved.
Elche were far from passengers. Rafa Mir forced Courtois into action from close range, while Andre da Silva saw a dangerous low drive blocked by the Belgian before the interval. The end-to-end rhythm persisted throughout, with Rodrygo denied by Peña and Courtois producing a fine stop to keep out Febas before his eventual opener.
Despite Elche’s resilience, Madrid’s quality shone through late on. The point may not have been the three Alonso’s men wanted, but it was enough to lift them back above Barcelona, who had briefly taken the lead in the table after thrashing Athletic Club 4-0.
Real Madrid will now turn their attention to European duties, facing Olympiacos in the Champions League on Wednesday, 26 November at 20:00 GMT.
