Madrid stumbles again with 0-0 draw at Rayo Vallecano in Spanish league

MADRID (AP) — Real Madrid was held by Rayo Vallecano to a 0-0 draw in the Spanish league on Sunday for its second consecutive setback following a Champions League loss at Liverpool.

Madrid's attack struggled and was scoreless again after having found the net in every match this season until the 1-0 loss at Liverpool on Tuesday.

Madrid remains top of the Spanish league, five points ahead of second-placed Villarreal, but Barcelona can move within three points of the leader by beating Celta Vigo later Sunday.

Madrid had won 13 of its 15 games in all competitions this season, with the setbacks coming against Liverpool and at Atletico Madrid in a 5-2 loss in the Spanish league in September.

Rayo, sitting in 12th place, had lost 4-0 at Villarreal in its previous league game, but it was coming off consecutive victories in the Europa League and the Copa del Rey.

Earlier Sunday, seventh-placed Athletic Bilbao snapped a three-game losing streak across all competitions. It beat Oviedo 1-0 with a 25th-minute goal by Nico Williams, who got past three defenders with a nice run through the left flank before firing into the net from a tough angle.

It was the six straight match without a win for last-placed Oviedo in all competitions.