Real Madrid failed to leapfrog FC Barcelona to the top of LaLiga table following a 3-3 draw with Rayo Vallecano on Saturday evening.
Kylian Mbappe's injury saw Madrid recall Rodrygo while Ferland Mendy's absence gave Fran Garcia a star at the left-back, but the upside was Vinicius Junior's availability once more and was named on the bench.
Madrid were stunned four minutes gone when a floated cross by Juan de Frutos flew over the defence and met a lurking Unai Lopez who riffled home.
The equaliser came in reach nine minutes apart with a shot-on-the-turn by Rodrygo at the near post after making a blind-run, but Augusto Batalla used his foot to parry the Brazilian.
Further disappointment fell on the defending champions as a combination of poor defending gave Abdul Mumin space to nod a corner across goal and into the net.
Madrid pulled one back five minutes before halftime when a low long-range strike from Federico Valverde sailed in the bottom-corner and gave Batalla no chance.
The game was levelled up on the stroke of the break as Jude Bellingham nodded a surging cross by Rodrygo in at the far post to continue his scoring run of form in the league.
The title holders looked to hit the ground running in the resumption and saw Arda Guler venture in the box to head in, but he gone ahead of the line thus called back for offside.
Rodrygo remained troublesome ten minutes in the second half and put them ahead with a thumping shot from outside the area following Guler's pass.
Madrid responded with a substitution seven minutes later, with Vinicius introduced after a lengthy lay-off for Brahim Diaz.
Vallecano grabbed the equaliser midway through the second half when Isi Palazon picked up an in-swinging delivery following a free-kick and stabbed past Thibaut Courtois.
The momentum continued to swung either end as the clock to fulltime loomed, with both sides eagerly looking to get over the line.
Vinicius came close minutes before time with a trademark run towards the near side of the box, but Batalla dived across and smothered.
Madrid continued to carve out chances as the minutes ticked, but in the end were forced to settle for a point apiece.