Real Madrid is gearing up to maintain their impressive start to the season as they prepare to face Rayo Vallecano at the Bernabeu in La Liga on Sunday night.
Match Preview
After securing a thrilling 2-1 victory over Barcelona in El Clasico, Real Madrid currently tops the table with 28 points, while Rayo Vallecano holds the eighth position with 17 points.
Real Madrid showed a shaky start in their previous El Clasico encounter, with Ilkay Gundogan putting Barcelona ahead in the sixth minute.
However, Jude Bellingham’s second-half brace secured a crucial three points for Los Blancos.
Carlo Ancelotti’s team has won nine, drawn one, and lost one out of their 11 league matches, accumulating 28 points, tying them with Girona.
Currently, Atletico Madrid is in the third position, just three points behind, with a game in hand. Real Madrid is far from comfortable at the top and aims to secure back-to-back wins against Rayo and Valencia at the Bernabeu before the season break for international matches in November.
In the Champions League, Real Madrid is set to face Braga at home next week, and they have had an excellent run in the competition, winning all three of their matches in the 2023-24 season to lead Group C.
In the corresponding game last season, Real Madrid secured a 2-1 victory over Rayo, but they suffered a 3-2 defeat in the reverse fixture last November.
Rayo Vallecano has also had a strong start to the season, with four wins, five draws, and two defeats in their 11 league games, placing them in eighth position with 17 points.
They are just two points behind fifth-placed Real Sociedad and have been a challenging opponent, although multiple draws have hindered their ascent in the standings.
Despite drawing five of their last six league matches, including a 2-2 draw with Real Sociedad, Rayo’s low point of the season was a 7-0 home defeat to Atletico Madrid.
In their recent Copa del Rey first-round match, Rayo secured a 6-0 victory over Atletico Lugones, advancing comfortably to the next stage.
Although they finished 12th and 11th in their last two La Liga campaigns, they are well-equipped to make a stronger push this season, making them a formidable opponent for Real Madrid.
Real Madrid’s recent La Liga form: LWWWDW
Real Madrid’s recent form in all competitions: WWWDW
Rayo Vallecano’s recent La Liga form: DDDDW
Rayo Vallecano’s recent form in all competitions: DDDDW
Team News:
Real Madrid will be without Thibaut Courtois and Eder Militao due to long-term knee injuries, with Dani Ceballos also unavailable.
However, Arda Guler is fit and could make his debut. Aurelien Tchouameni is sidelined with a broken foot.
Eduardo Camavinga is expected to feature in the midfield, while Ferland Mendy’s absence at left-back may see Fran Garcia returning to the lineup.
Luka Modric and Joselu might be on the bench, with Toni Kroos and Rodrygo retaining their starting positions.
Rayo Vallecano has a fully-fit squad for this match, with no reported issues in the build-up. Coach Francisco is likely to field a similar lineup to the one that faced Real Sociedad, with Oscar Trejo supporting Raul de Tomas upfront.
Although Radamel Falcao and Bebe impressed in the Copa del Rey, they are unlikely to start for Rayo Vallecano.
Possible starting lineups:
Real Madrid:
- Kepa;
- Carvajal, Rudiger, Alaba, F Garcia;
- Valverde, Camavinga, Kroos;
- Bellingham;
- Vinicius, Rodrygo
Rayo Vallecano:
- Dimitrievski;
- Balliu, Mumin, Lejeune, Espino;
- Palazon, U Lopez, Trejo, Ciss, A Garcia;
- De Tomas
Prediction:
Rayo Vallecano is a formidable opponent, and this match is unlikely to be a walk in the park for Real Madrid. However, with their recent strong performances, we expect Real Madrid to secure another three points in La Liga.
- Our prediction: Real Madrid 2-1 Rayo Vallecano