Real Madrid host Rayo Vallecano at the Santiago Bernabéu in the 27th round of LaLiga with the need and the obligation to win if they are not to squander their chances of winning the title. They will face a feisty team that is having a great season and is fighting for a European place from seventh position in the championship.
A Real Madrid in need
Real Madrid are not having their best moment in the league. Of the last 18 points up for grabs in the last 6 games, they have only managed to pick up 8, and they have gone from leading the table with a 7-point advantage to third place, 3 behind Barcelona and 2 behind Atlético Madrid.
If Ancelotti’s team want to continue fighting for La Liga, they must avoid dropping points, especially at the Santiago Bernabéu, but given the form of Atlético de Madrid and Barcelona, it is difficult to see them finishing higher than fourth unless they have a flawless end to the season.
Nothing like the Champions League, where the Whites, after eliminating Manchester City relatively easily in the playoffs with an overall result of 2-6, will play Atlético de Madrid for a place in the quarter finals after a 2-1 victory in the match played last Tuesday at the Santiago Bernabéu.
The victory against Atlético de Madrid has restored confidence to Ancelotti’s team, who are now looking to overcome their poor league results and get back to winning ways so they can continue to fight for the title in the domestic competition.
Rayo Vallecano is going through a minor crisis
Rayo Vallecano arrives at the Santiago Bernabéu with little to lose, but with the hope of getting three points that would re-engage them in the fight for places that give access to European competitions. The Madrid team is currently in seventh place in the league, but has just lost to Barcelona and Villarreal, and drawn at home against Sevilla. Despite this, they are only two points behind sixth place, which gives access to the Conference League, an ambitious goal for the team, especially given the rivals they are competing against, but one that is nevertheless within reach.
The Vallecas-based team arrives at the Bernabéu motivated by the knowledge that they have managed to score in 4 of the last 5 games they have played against Real Madrid. In the first leg, they drew 3-3, and last season they drew 0-0 at the home of the Whites and 1-1 in Vallecas. Therefore, Ancelotti’s team have now gone three consecutive games without managing to get the better of their neighbors.
Courtois and Rudiger drop out of the squad
Carlo Ancelotti faces another game with a number of important absences: Rudiger, in addition to discomfort, did not train yesterday due to a flu-like illness and the coach has given him a rest against Rayo Vallecano. On the other hand, the surprise has come with the absence of Thibaut Courtois, who is suffering from discomfort in the patella of his right leg. Dani Ceballos is still out. On the other hand, Real Madrid have Jude Bellingham back after he missed the last two league games and the last Champions League game against Atlético de Madrid through suspension.
Ancelotti has decided to rotate the starting eleven to give some of his players a rest and bring fresh legs into the midfield.
Real Madrid lineup
- Goalkeeper: Andriy Lunin
- Defense: Fran García, David Alaba, Raul Asencio, Lucas Vázquez
- Midfielders: Aurélien Tchouameni, Luka Modric, Jude Bellingham
- Forwards: Rodrygo Vinicius Jr, Kylian Mbappe