Real Madrid’s forward Vinícius Júnior converted a second-half penalty to equalize after Alberto Moleiro’s early goal gave Las Palmas the lead, resulting in a tense 1-1 draw for the Spanish giants on Thursday.
In what was a lackluster performance, Real Madrid struggled to find their rhythm and avoided what could have been their first LaLiga defeat of the season. They currently sit fourth in the standings, with just five points from three matches, trailing leaders Barcelona by four points.
French captain Kylian Mbappé continued to underwhelm, still searching for his first goal in LaLiga since joining the European champions as a free agent from Paris Saint-Germain in June.
Despite manager Carlo Ancelotti making four adjustments to the lineup that narrowly defeated Valladolid on Sunday, Real Madrid started sluggishly again. This allowed Las Palmas’ Moleiro to score with a composed finish following a quick counterattack just five minutes into the match.
Las Palmas had several opportunities to increase their lead against a disorganized Madrid defense, with goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois making three spectacular saves.
After halftime, Rodrygo was substituted in, adding crucial pace and creativity that had been missing in the first half. Las Palmas’ goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen also made impressive saves from shots by Antonio Rudiger, Federico Valverde, Aurélien Tchouaméni, and Vinícius Jr. However, it was local forward Sandro who missed a golden opportunity to extend the lead in the 54th minute, sending his shot well over the goal.
Ultimately, Real Madrid salvaged a point through a penalty following a handball by defender Álex Suárez, with Vinícius scoring from the spot.
Next, Real Madrid will host Betis on Sunday, while Las Palmas, currently in 16th place, will travel to the Basque Country to take on Alaves.