Overview
Rayo Vallecano have just extended their impressive form when defeating Lech Poznan 3-2 in the Europa Conference League, thereby rising to sixth place in the rankings.
Inigo Perez's side have won three of their last four in all competitions, but there is still a bulge when they lost 0-4 to Villarreal in their most recent La Liga match. After 11 rounds, they have 4 wins, 2 draws and 5 losses, reaching 14 points and temporarily ranked 10th, 4 points behind the leading group.
At home, Rayo has not been really stable, having only won 5 points after 4 matches. In the near future, they will have to face Real Madrid - the team with the best away record in the tournament (12 points/5 matches).
In the previous 46 encounters in all competitions, Rayo have won just 7 matches against Real Madrid. However, they have held their opponents to a draw in three of their last four La Liga meetings, including a dramatic 3-3 draw last season.
Real Madrid beat Rayo Vallecano 2-1 in their last meeting in March. However, in reality, they have only won 2 out of the last 6 matches against this team, including a 2-3 defeat in the first leg of the 2022-2023 season.
Xabi Alonso's side have just suffered their second defeat of the season, losing 1-0 to Liverpool in the Champions League in midweek. This was an unconvincing performance compared to their familiar form.
In La Liga, Los Blancos are still the number one force with 10 wins and only 1 defeat after 11 rounds, earning 30 points and 5 points ahead of Barcelona before entering round 12. If they win all 3 points in this match, Real can widen the gap to 8 points when Barca takes the field later.
Although there is still internal tension around Vinicius Junior, Real Madrid is forced to focus fully on the pitch. They are aiming for their fifth consecutive win in La Liga after an impressive series of matches against Villarreal, Getafe, Barcelona and Valencia.
Personnel situation
Rayo Vallecano continues to face difficulties in terms of strength. Luiz Felipe (hamstring) and Abdul Mumin (knee) are still unable to return, while Diego Mendez is not in the best physical condition.
Inigo Perez is expected to make some adjustments, with Jorge de Frutos, Alemao, Pedro Diaz and Andrei Ratiu likely to be named in the starting lineup.
Alvaro Garcia - who is in impressive form with 5 goals and 3 assists in all competitions - will still be the biggest hope in the home team's attack.
On the opposite side, Real Madrid will not have the services of Aurelien Tchouameni (hamstring), Dani Carvajal (knee) and Antonio Rudiger (left leg). David Alaba (pattern) and Franco Mastantuono (spoke) are also having difficulty recovering in time to play.
Trent Alexander-Arnold has returned from injury and could be named in the starting lineup, allowing Federico Valverde to move higher in midfield.
Up front, Rodrygo is likely to partner Vinicius and Kylian Mbappe. The trio have promised to pose a constant threat to Rayo's goal.
Expected lineup:
Rayo Vallecano: Batalla, Ratiu, Lejeune, Mendy, Chavarria, Ciss, Valentin, Diaz, De Frutos, Alemao, A. Garcia.
Real Madrid: Courtois, Alexander-Arnold, Militao, Huijsen, Carreras, Valverde, Guler, Bellingham, Rodrygo, Mbappe, Vinicius.
The match between Rayo Vallecano and Real Madrid takes place at 10:15 p.m. on November 9 (Vietnam time).
