Rayo Vallecano 2-3 Real Madrid

Gareth Bale has scored 18 goals in 21 La Liga appearances for Real Madrid this season

Gareth Bale scored twice as Real Madrid came from two goals down to maintain their La Liga title hopes with victory at neighbours Rayo Vallecano.

The home side led 2-0 after 14 minutes, as Adri Embarba touched in Bebe's cross before Miku poked home a second.

Bale headed in a Toni Kroos corner, but Real then lost Karim Benzema to injury.

Lucas Vazquez, Benzema's replacement, headed an equaliser before Bale pounced on an Embarba error to send Real top for at least a couple of hours.

Karim Benzema, who limped off before half-time, had scored in Real's previous two games

Atletico Madrid overtook them with a 1-0 win over Malaga, before Barca thrashed Sporting Gijon 6-0 to go back to the top.

The sight of France forward Benzema hobbling off clutching his thigh three minutes before the interval will have concerned Real manager Zinedine Zidane, with a Champions League semi-final first leg trip to Manchester City to come on Tuesday.

Zidane went into the game without his leading scorer Cristiano Ronaldo, who is a doubt for the City trip after pulling a thigh muscle during Wednesday's 3-0 league victory over Villarreal.

The Real manager left captain Sergio Ramos, as well as midfielders Casemiro and Luka Modric, out of his starting line-up, with one eye on the match in Manchester.

Lost Galacticos

It looked set to backfire after a quarter of an hour, against a Rayo side looking for revenge after being beaten 10-2 at the Bernabeu in December.

Miku's close-range finish put Rayo Vallecano 2-0 up - but they could not hold on

Paco Jemez's side, who are battling to avoid relegation to the Segunda Division, were much more of a match for their Madrid neighbours this time, but ultimately ran out of steam.

Embarba struck for the home side after excellent work down the left from former Manchester United forward Bebe, although Miku also deserved credit for a dummy run that drew defender Danilo to the near post to create space for the scorer.

Real's back line looked disorganised, and conceded a second from a corner as Raphael Varane inadvertently flicked the ball on, and Miku turned in the loose ball from six yards.

Bale's winner meant that Real Madrid were two points clear at full-time - albeit with Atletico Madrid and Barcelona still to play

A fine save from Real keeper Keylor Navas prevented Bebe's 25-yard shot from flying in for a third.

Bale - returning to action following a back injury - began the visitors' recovery 10 minutes before the interval, with Vazquez heading a fine equaliser from Danilo's right-wing cross early in the second half.

The home side were visibly tiring as the final minutes approached, and it was a weary loose pass from Embarba that allowed Bale to sprint away and slot in a winning goal.