Real Madrid are likely in for another hostile welcome at the Bernabéu when they host Rayo Vallecano on Sunday, looking to make it six league wins in a row.
The 15-time European champions were flying high after three consecutive victories under new boss Álvaro Arbeloa before they were harshly brought back down to earth by Benfica, who handed Los Blancos a 4–2 defeat in the Champions League. The loss saw Real Madrid fall out of the top eight and into the knockout phase playoffs, where they will face José Mourinho’s side again.
Before they can look ahead to the European clash, the Spanish giants must first shift their focus back to their domestic campaign. On paper, 16th-place Rayo Vallecano presents an easy way for Real Madrid to get back to winning ways, but Iñigo Pérez’s men previously held them to a goalless draw back in November.
In fact, four of Los Blancos’ last five matches against their close neighbors have ended in shared points. Anything other than a victory for the hosts, though, will not only reignite talks of a crisis unfolding at the biggest club in the world, but also leave the door open for Barcelona to retake control of the La Liga title race.
Here is Sports Illustrated’s guide to the game.
What Time Does Real Madrid vs. Rayo Vallecano Kick Off?
- Location: Madrid, Spain
- Stadium: Bernabéu
- Date: Sunday, Feb. 1
- Kick-off Time: 8 a.m. ET / 5 a.m. PT / 1 p.m. GMT
Real Madrid vs. Rayo Vallecano Head-to-Head Record (All Games)
- Real Madrid: 1 win
- Rayo Vallecano: 0 win
- Draws: 4
Current Form (All Competitions)
| Real Madrid (LWWWL) | Rayo Vallecano (LLLWW) |
|---|---|
| Benfica 4–2 Real Madrid | Rayo Vallecano 1–3 Osasuna |
| Villarreal 0–2 Real Madrid | Celta Vigo 3–0 Rayo Vallecano |
| Real Madrid 6–1 Monaco | Alavés 2–0 Rayo Vallecano |
| Real Madrid 2–0 Levante | Rayo Vallecano 2–1 Mallorca |
| Albacete 3–2 Real Madrid | Granada 1–3 Rayo Vallecano |
How to Watch Real Madrid vs. Rayo Vallecano on TV, Live Stream
| Country | TV Channel/Live Stream |
|---|---|
| United States | ESPN Select, ESPN App, ESPN Deportes, fubtoTV |
| United Kingdom | Premier Sports 2 |
| Canada | TSN+, TSN3, TSN5 |
| Mexico | Sky Sports Mexico, Sky+, izzi |
Real Madrid Team News
Real Madrid are still without the same four absentees: Éder Militão, Antonio Rüdiger, Ferland Mendy and Trent Alexander-Arnold. The latter is back in training and expected to make his return sooner rather than later, but after so much time on the sidelines in his debut season, the club will exercise extreme caution when it comes to Alexander-Arnold.
Arbeloa has everyone else available, including Rodrygo and Raúl Asencio, who were both sent off against Benfica. The two players will have to serve their respective one-game suspensions in the first leg of the knockout phase playoffs, but they are eligible to play in La Liga.
Expect the Brazilian to get the nod on the right wing despite his lapse in judgement on Wednesday, sending Franco Mastantuono to the bench. Arbeloa might be inclined to bring Eduardo Camavinga back into the fold, but he cannot afford to lose Arda Güler’s playmaking.
Real Madrid Predicted Lineup vs. Rayo Vallecano
Real Madrid predicted lineup vs. Rayo Vallecano (4-1-2-3): Courtois; Valverde, Asencio, Huijsen, Carreras; Tchouaméni; Bellingham, Güler; Rodrygo, Mbappé, Vinicius Junior.
Rayo Vallecano Team News
Rayo Vallecano will make the trip to the Bernabéu without Abdul Mumin and Andrei Rațiu. The former is still working his way back from an ACL injury, while the latter is nursing a hamstring issue.
The good news is Iván Balliu returned to training earlier in the week and could be an option for Pérez, so long as he passes his late fitness test. Still, Alfonso Espino is in line to start at right back and faces the tough test of silencing Vinicius Junior.
Ilias Akhomach could also make his first start since joining Rayo Vallecano on loan from Villarreal. The Morocco international came off the bench in his debut last weekend against Osasuna, but he will be eyeing a bigger role on Sunday.
Rayo Vallecano Predicted Lineup vs. Real Madrid
Rayo Vallecano predicted lineup vs. Real Madrid (4-3-3): Batalla; Espino, Lejeune, Ciss, Chavarría; Palazón, Valentín, Díaz; Akhomach, De Frutos, A. García.
Real Madrid vs. Rayo Vallecano Score Prediction
Recent matchups suggest a draw is in the cards for Sunday’s game, but it’s hard to picture Real Madrid—even after their Champions League blunder—dropping points to a team with one win in its last 11 league matches.
Although Arbeloa’s men might feel like the away team at times with how loud the crowd’s whistles are set to be, they still have the firepower to exploit Rayo Vallecano’s leaky backline. Kylian Mbappé, especially, is in unstoppable form, and will do enough to carry his team to another victory, keeping the pressure on Barcelona atop the table.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Real Madrid vs. Rayo Vallecano: Preview, Predictions and Lineups.
