Real Madrid will aim to return to winning ways when they visit Rayo Vallecano on Sunday afternoon in La Liga. The Spanish giants are looking to recover from their midweek Champions League setback against Liverpool, a 1-0 defeat that ended their recent run of good form in Europe.
Despite that loss, Los Blancos remain top of the La Liga standings with 30 points, five clear of second-placed Barcelona. Rayo Vallecano, meanwhile, sit 10th with 14 points from 11 games as they continue to show flashes of promise this season.
Rayo enter the weekend buoyed by a 3-2 Conference League victory over Lech Poznan, which lifted them to sixth in the competition’s overall standings. The result capped a positive spell for Inigo Perez’s men, who have won three of their last four matches across all competitions. However, their last domestic outing ended in a humbling 4-0 loss to Villarreal on November 1.
In La Liga, Rayo have registered four wins, two draws, and five defeats so far. Their home form, though, has been far from convincing — collecting only five points from four matches at Estadio de Vallecas. They now face a Real Madrid side boasting the league’s best away record, with 12 points from a possible 15 on the road.
History does not favor the hosts. Rayo have only won seven of their 46 meetings against Real Madrid in all competitions. Yet, they’ve made life difficult for their illustrious neighbors recently, with three of their last four league clashes ending in draws — including a thrilling 3-3 in this fixture last season.
Real Madrid did manage a 2-1 victory when the sides last met in March, but Los Blancos have only triumphed twice in their last six encounters with Rayo. One of those defeats came in the 2022–23 season, when the Vallecas outfit stunned Madrid 3-2.
Under Xabi Alonso, Real Madrid have been dominant in La Liga, winning 10 of their 11 matches this term. Their loss to Liverpool on Tuesday marked just their second defeat of the campaign in all competitions. Nonetheless, they remain the standout team domestically, and another victory on Sunday could extend their lead over Barcelona to eight points before the Catalans face Celta Vigo later in the day.
Off the pitch, tensions involving Vinicius Junior have lingered, but the focus now shifts squarely to maintaining momentum in the league. Having beaten Villarreal, Getafe, Barcelona, and Valencia in successive La Liga games since the 5-2 loss to Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid will look to make it five straight wins and reaffirm their dominance at the top of the table.
INJURIES & SUSPENSION
Rayo Vallecano will once again be without several key players for Sunday’s clash, as Luiz Felipe (hamstring) and Abdul Mumin (knee) remain sidelined through injury. Diego Mendez is also a doubt due to fitness concerns and will face a late assessment before kickoff.
Head coach Inigo Perez is expected to make a few changes from the team that started in Thursday’s Conference League victory. Jorge de Frutos, Alemao, Pedro Diaz, and Andrei Ratiu are all likely to return to the starting lineup as the hosts look to stay fresh for the league challenge.
One of Rayo’s most consistent performers this season, Alvaro Garcia, is set to feature once more in attack. The lively Spaniard has been directly involved in eight goals across all competitions, scoring five times and providing three assists, and will be a major threat down the flanks.
For Real Madrid, Aurelien Tchouameni is ruled out with a hamstring injury that will keep him sidelined until late November. The visitors will also be missing Dani Carvajal (knee) and Antonio Rudiger (muscle), while David Alaba (calf) and Franco Mastantuono (groin) are unlikely to be risked for the trip to Vallecas.
There is some positive news for Xabi Alonso, though, as Trent Alexander-Arnold made his comeback from injury as a substitute against Liverpool and could be handed a starting role on Sunday. His inclusion would allow Federico Valverde to push into a more advanced position in midfield.
Meanwhile, Rodrygo is expected to return to the front line, joining Vinicius Junior and top scorer Kylian Mbappe in what promises to be a dynamic attacking trio for the league leaders.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Rayo Vallecano possible starting lineup:
Batalla; Ratiu, Lejeune, Mendy, Chavarria; Ciss, Valentin, Diaz; De Frutos, Alemao, A Garcia
Real Madrid possible starting lineup:
Courtois; Alexander-Arnold, Militao, Huijsen, Carreras; Valverde, Guler, Bellingham; Rodrygo, Mbappe, Vinicius
EXPERT PREDICTION
Rayo Vallecano 1-3 Real Madrid
