Photo credit: AFP

Gareth Bale struck twice to inspire a Real Madrid fightback from two goals down to win 3-2 at Rayo Vallecano on Saturday.

However, Real continue to trail city rivals Atletico Madrid by a point with three games remaining in La Liga after Angel Correa’s deflected strike handed them a 1-0 win over Malaga.

Without the injured Cristiano Ronaldo, Real’s title hopes looked in tatters when early goals from Adrian Embarba and Miku put Rayo 2-0 in front.

However, Bale’s powerful header halved the deficit before half-time and he fired home the winner nine minutes from time after Lucas Vazquez had equalized early in the second period.

Barcelona now lie third, three points adrift of Atletico, but can move back into top spot with victory at home to Sporting Gijon later on Saturday.

“He is very happy to make the difference,” Real coach Zinedine Zidane said of Bale.

“When we needed him he was phenomenal. He scored two, but even without speaking about the goals, he played very well.”

The visitors got off to a terrible start as they struggled to deal with the difficult conditions caused by a torrential downpour in the Spanish capital.

Embarba tapped home the opener from close range after Bebe’s determined run and cross had opened up the Madrid defense with just seven minutes gone.

It was 2-0 inside 15 minutes as shocking Real defending from a corner allow Miku to sweep home his eighth goal of the season.

Madrid have now won the last 16 meetings between the sides stretching back 16 years, but Rayo could have been out of sight but for a fine flying save from Keylor Navas to prevent Bebe’s long-range effort finding the top corner.

In the absence of Ronaldo for the first time in La Liga this season, Bale took responsibility to drag Madrid back into the game as he rose highest to power home Toni Kroos’s corner 10 minutes before half-time.

Madrid suffered another blow before the break, though, as Karim Benzema limped off with a knee injury making him a serious doubt to travel to Manchester in midweek.

Vazquez replaced the Frenchman and it was the diminutive winger who brought Real level in unusual fashion as he powered home a header from Danilo’s cross six minutes into the second half.

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Rayo struggled to contain the wave upon wave of Madrid attacks that ensued as Vazquez just failed to connect with Bale’s cross before Jese Rodriguez fired straight at Juan Carlos with just the goalkeeper to beat.

However, it was fitting that Bale was the man to decide the game as he pounced on a loose pass midway inside the Rayo half and surged forward before striking low and hard past Juan Carlos for his 18th goal of the season.

Atletico were also forced to work for the three points ahead of their Champions League semi-final against Bayern Munich in midweek and could face further repercussions after coach Diego Simeone was sent to the stands at half-time in bizarre circumstances.

Referee Mateu Lahoz punished the Argentine after an extra ball was thrown onto the pitch from near the Atletico bench to break up a dangerous Malaga counter-attack.

Atletico had the better chances throughout as Antoine Griezmann dragged wide a glorious opportunity early on and Saul Niguez fired just off target at the end of a well-worked free-kick just after the break.

However, Jose Maria Gimenez was lucky to also avoid a red card for a high challenge on Charles.

Correa eventually made the telling contribution just five minutes after coming on as a substitute as his shot from outside the box flicked off Raul Albentosa to leave Guillermo Ochoa helpless and Atletico recorded a 32nd clean sheet of the season to seal all three points.