Brave Elche Denied Historic Victory by Last-Gasp Madrid
In a thrilling La Liga encounter that defied all expectations, newly-promoted Elche came within minutes of a first victory over Real Madrid since the 1970s, only to be denied by Jude Bellingham's controversial 87th-minute equaliser in a dramatic 2-2 draw. The result left Elche's players and coaching staff feeling frustrated rather than celebratory, despite matching a club with a budget nineteen times larger than their own.
"I'm Pissed Off" - Sarabia's Raw Reaction
Elche manager Eder Sarabia didn't mince words when assessing the outcome. "No, I'm not happy. I'm not happy at all," he stated bluntly. "I just told the players that I'm pissed off. And now that I have had a look at the plays, I'm even more pissed off." His anger stemmed from two Madrid equalisers that both originated from disputed set-piece situations, with the crucial free-kick leading to Bellingham's goal particularly contentious.
The match saw Elche take the lead twice through an exquisite team goal finished by Aleix Feibas and a superb individual effort from Álvaro Rodríguez. Their opening strike was especially impressive - a 22-pass move representing the second-longest goalscoring sequence in La Liga this season and the longest against Real Madrid in nearly a decade.
Philosophy Over Fear: Elche's Remarkable Approach
What made Elche's performance particularly remarkable was their refusal to adopt a defensive approach against the league leaders. Sarabia has implemented an ambitious philosophy since winning promotion, insisting his team would play the same attractive, possession-based football in the top flight that brought them success in Segunda. "When we haven't got the ball we want it back and when we have we want to know what for," he explains of his approach.
This commitment to their style has yielded impressive results. Elche began the season unbeaten in their first eight matches - longer than any other team - and currently sit just two points off European qualification. Their statistics are equally telling: no team has enjoyed more possession this season, while David Affengruber leads the league in winning possession in the opposition half and Aleix Feibas has covered more distance than any other player.
Controversy Mars Brave Display
The match's pivotal moment arrived when Madrid were awarded a dubious free-kick as Elche threatened to break forward in search of a third goal. From the resulting delivery, Vinícius collided with goalkeeper Iñaki Peña, leaving him with a bloody nose and unable to prevent the ball crossing the line before Kylian Mbappé pulled it back for Bellingham to score.
Peña initially described the incident as "part of the game" but later revised his opinion after reviewing footage. Sarabia was more forthright, describing the foul as "absolutely clear, absolutely clear... and that's what VAR is for." Despite his frustration, he emphasised his pride in his team's performance over the officiating controversy.
Austrian defender David Affengruber captured the squad's mixed emotions, noting: "We only come into this league this year and we're a little bit disappointed to get a point against Real Madrid." He added, "If you see the game you feel a bit frustrated. We played amazing football. If you follow us this season you've seen that we try to do this at every stadium, and this is what makes us a little bit special."
The result leaves Real Madrid top of La Liga with 32 points from 13 games, while Elche sit eleventh with 16 points - an impressive position for a club many tipped for immediate relegation. More importantly, they've demonstrated that their attractive approach can compete with Spanish football's elite, even if on this occasion they were denied the historic victory their performance deserved.
