Real Madrid will be hoping to keep up the pace at the top of the La Liga table when they make the short trip across the Spanish capital to Estadio de Vallecas to face Rayo Vallecano on Sunday afternoon (15:15 GMT).
Team form
Vallecano have had a mixed start to the campaign. A 3-1 win away to Girona was a positive display on the opening weekend, but was followed by a run of six games without another victory.
During that time, the Los Franjirrojos lost to Athletic Club, Osasuna, Atletico Madrid, and Sevilla, while drawing with Barcelona and Celta Vigo.
Successive wins away to Real Sociedad and Levante, as well as a 1-0 victory over Alaves at home, saw Vallecano make steps back in the right direction.
However, a 4-0 humbling against Villarreal last weekend and losing that momentum was not what they needed before hosting Real Madrid.
After a dismal display away to rival Atletico, losing 5-2 to Diego Simeone’s men at the Metropolitano and suffering their first defeat of the season, Real Madrid have bounced back emphatically.
Los Blancos have beaten Villarreal, Getafe, Barcelona and Valencia consecutively, opening up a five-point lead at the top of the table and affirming themselves as favourites for the title.
On current form, Xabi Alonso’s men will be confident of making it 11 wins from 12 La Liga games when they face Vallecano on Sunday.
Head-to-head
That said, the fellow Madrid outfit have frustrated Real in recent seasons. In fact, Los Blancos’ 2-1 win over Vallecano at the Santiago Bernabeu in March ended a run of three consecutive draws between the sides.
The 3-3 draw when they met here last season was a thriller, with Real Madrid having to fight back from behind twice in the first half before Rodrygo put them 3-2 up around 10 minutes into the second half, only for Isi Palazon to claw back a point.
Team news
Abdul Mumin picked up a serious knee injury in Vallecano’s defeat to Sevilla, and the Ghana international will miss the rest of the campaign, while Luiz Felipe is nearing a return after picking up a hamstring injury back in September.
Madrid remain in something of a defensive crisis with the longer-term injuries to David Alaba, Dani Carvajal, and Antonio Rudiger, though Alonso has a fresh injury concern with Franco Mastantuono sidelined indefinitely due to a pubic issue.
Key stats
Madrid have averaged 2.4 goals in La Liga so far this season.
Kylian Mbappe has scored 13 times and provided two assists in 11 La Liga appearances.
Jorge de Frutos is Rayo Vallecano’s top scorer in the top flight, with four goals in 10 games.
Rayo Vallecano have averaged 2.4 cards per game in La Liga this campaign.
Prediction
While Vallecano have held their own well against Real Madrid in recent seasons, and have already held reigning champions Barcelona to a 1-1 draw on home soil this campaign, Los Blancos should have enough to make it back-to-back wins against their Madrid rivals.
