Real Madrid Elche clash ended in a dramatic 2-2 draw on November 23, 2025, as Jude Bellingham rescued a point for the visitors with a late equalizer at the Estadio Manuel Martínez Valero. The Real Madrid Elche encounter saw Los Blancos come from behind twice in a pulsating La Liga showdown that extended their winless streak to three matches. Despite the setback, Real Madrid moved one point clear of Barcelona at the top of the La Liga table, though Xabi Alonso’s side will be disappointed not to secure all three points against a resilient Elche side sitting in 11th place.
Table of Contents
- Match Overview: Real Madrid Elche 2-2 Draw
- First Half: Missed Opportunities
- Elche’s Breakthrough: Febas Opens Scoring
- Huijsen Levels the Score
- Álvaro Rodríguez’s Stunning Strike
- Bellingham to the Rescue
- Key Stats and Player Performances
- Comprehensive Match Summary
Match Overview: Real Madrid Elche 2-2 Draw
The Real Madrid Elche fixture delivered all the drama expected from a top-flight La Liga encounter. Real Madrid, coming off an international break, struggled to find their rhythm against a well-organized Elche defense. The hosts, unbeaten in their last six home games with three wins and three draws, showed why they’ve been so difficult to beat at the Manuel Martínez Valero this season. Kylian Mbappé, who leads La Liga with 13 goals, had several chances but couldn’t find the breakthrough Madrid desperately needed in the first half.
First Half: Missed Opportunities
In the Real Madrid Elche first half, Los Blancos dominated possession but failed to convert their chances into goals. Mbappé broke away on a counterattack in the 30th minute but shot directly at Elche goalkeeper Iñaki Peña from inside the box. The hosts had their own golden opportunity when Andre Silva went one-on-one with Thibaut Courtois in the 27th minute, but the Portuguese forward opted to pass to Mir instead of shooting, allowing Dean Huijsen to clear the danger. Both Raúl Asencio and Arda Güler also missed the target for Real Madrid, leaving the first half goalless despite numerous scoring opportunities.
Elche’s Breakthrough: Febas Opens Scoring
The deadlock in the Real Madrid Elche match was broken just eight minutes into the second half. In the 53rd minute, Germán Valera produced a brilliant backheel pass that found Aleix Febas perfectly positioned in the penalty area. The Elche midfielder showed excellent composure, poking the ball past Courtois with a single touch that hit the inside of the post on its way in. The goal stunned the visiting Real Madrid players, who had not conceded in the last 233 minutes before Febas’s strike. Xabi Alonso immediately looked to his bench for a response, bringing on Vinícius Júnior to inject more offensive energy into the Real Madrid attack.
Huijsen Levels the Score
Real Madrid Elche tension continued as Los Blancos pushed for an equalizer. Their persistence paid off in the 78th minute when Dean Huijsen, the young defender, reacted quickest to a loose ball following a corner kick. After Elche failed to clear their lines, Huijsen pounced from close range to level the score at 1-1. The goal breathed new life into Real Madrid’s challenge, and it seemed the visitors might go on to complete the comeback. Vinícius Júnior’s introduction had energized the attack, though the Brazilian also passed up a golden opportunity in the 72nd minute when he chose to cross to Mbappé rather than shoot while through on goal, with Álvaro Núñez clearing the danger.
Álvaro Rodríguez’s Stunning Strike
Just when Real Madrid thought they had weathered the storm in the Real Madrid Elche battle, former Los Blancos academy product Álvaro Rodríguez delivered a moment of magic against his old club. In the 84th minute, the striker expertly controlled a well-timed pass at the edge of the box, beat Asencio with skillful footwork, and unleashed a powerful left-footed strike that flew past Courtois into the left corner of the net. The Estadio Manuel Martínez Valero erupted as Elche fans anticipated their first win over Real Madrid since returning to La Liga in 2013. Rodríguez’s clinical finish put Elche 2-1 ahead with just six minutes of normal time remaining, and it looked like Real Madrid’s winless run would extend further.
Bellingham to the Rescue
The Real Madrid Elche drama reached its peak in the 87th minute when Jude Bellingham emerged as the hero for Los Blancos. A wild sequence began with a Trent Alexander-Arnold free kick that caused chaos in the Elche penalty area. As the home defense struggled to clear, Mbappé made a brilliant play to keep the ball in bounds before cutting it back. Bellingham was in the right place at the right time, bundling the ball home from close range to make it 2-2. The England international’s equalizer salvaged a point for Real Madrid, though Elche’s bloodied goalkeeper Peña unsuccessfully appealed for a foul in the buildup. In the dying moments of stoppage time, Elche’s Víctor Chust received a red card, but it was too late to impact the final result.
Key Stats and Player Performances
Real Madrid Elche Match Statistics:
- Final Score: Elche 2-2 Real Madrid
- Elche Scorers: Aleix Febas (53′), Álvaro Rodríguez (84′)
- Real Madrid Scorers: Dean Huijsen (78′), Jude Bellingham (87′)
- Venue: Estadio Manuel Martínez Valero, Elche
- Date: November 23, 2025
- Real Madrid Position: 1st place (32 points)
- Barcelona Position: 2nd place (31 points)
- Elche Position: 11th place (16 points)
- Real Madrid Record: 10 wins, 2 draws, 1 loss
- Mbappé Season Goals: 13 (La Liga leading scorer)
- Red Card: Víctor Chust (Elche) – 90+8′
Comprehensive Match Summary
The Real Madrid Elche encounter will be remembered as a game of missed opportunities and late drama. Xabi Alonso’s Real Madrid extended their winless streak to three matches across all competitions, having previously drawn 0-0 with Rayo Vallecano before the international break. Despite controlling possession and creating numerous chances, Real Madrid’s attack lacked the clinical edge needed to put Elche away. Bellingham’s late equalizer was his second goal contribution of the match, having also provided the assist for Huijsen’s goal, showcasing why he remains a vital player for Los Blancos.
For Elche, this Real Madrid Elche draw represented an excellent point against the league leaders, even if they’ll rue not holding on for all three points. The performance continues their solid home form and extends their unbeaten run at the Manuel Martínez Valero. Former Real Madrid youngster Álvaro Rodríguez’s goal against his old club will be a moment he cherishes, even though Bellingham’s late intervention denied Elche a historic victory. The result means Elche remain without a win in their last six league matches, though four draws in that period show their resilience.
As Real Madrid maintain their one-point lead over Barcelona at the La Liga summit, they’ll need to rediscover their winning form quickly. The Real Madrid Elche result demonstrates that even against mid-table opposition, Los Blancos cannot afford to be complacent. With Mbappé leading the scoring charts but the team struggling for consistency, Xabi Alonso faces tactical questions heading into their next fixtures. The title race remains wide open, and this hard-fought draw shows that every point will be precious in what promises to be a thrilling La Liga season.