Both Atletico Madrid and Rayo Vallecano will be searching for their second league win when they square up against each other on Wednesday.
Having had a poor start to the season, Atletico Madrid will be eager to return to winning ways when they host a struggling Rayo Vallecano side at the Metropolitano Stadium.
The home team were expected to be pushing for the league title this summer, but they had a very disappointing start, having accumulated just six points from their first five league outings. They are already nine points behind league leaders Real Madrid, who they will face at the weekend.
They are heading into this fixture on the back of a disappointing 1-1 draw against RCD Mallorca. With Julian Alvarez missing a penalty and Alexander Sorloth getting sent off, things certainly didn’t go their way. They will be hoping to put up a much better show against Vallecano.
The visitors are 14th on the table with just five points in as many outings. Since winning against Girona in mid-August, they have played out two draws and have suffered two defeats. The only positive for them in the last few weeks is that they managed to secure a point against Barcelona.
They are heading into this fixture on the back of a 1-1 draw against Celta Vigo and will be hoping to put up a strong fight against Diego Simeone’s team. Despite their poor form, the home team will be out-and-out favourites, but Rayo will certainly be looking to cause an upset. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could put to use.
Team News & Tactics
Atletico Madrid
The home team will remain without the services of Alex Baena, Jose Gimenez and Thiago Almada. Meanwhile, Alexander Sorloth is suspended for this fixture following a red card last time out.
Against Rayo Vallecano, Atletico Madrid will stick with the 4-4-2 formation, where Jan Oblak will be in goal. Marcos Llorente and David Hancko will feature as the full-backs, while Robin Le Normand will pair up with Clement Lenglet at the heart of the defence.
Conor Gallagher could come into the starting XI and start alongside Giovanni Simeone in the wide areas in midfield. Meanwhile, Koke will partner with Pablo Barrios as the two central midfielders. The duo will look to control the tempo of the game and ensure they dominate possession.
While Antoine Griezmann is available, he might once again find himself on the bench; Giacomo Raspadori should retain his spot in the final third alongside Julian Alvarez.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Oblak; Llorente, Le Normand, Lenglet, Hancko; Simeone, Koke, Barrios, Gallagher; Raspadori, Alvarez
Rayo Vallecano
Abdul Mumin remains on the sidelines for the visitors, while Luiz Felipe’s availability is a major doubt. Meanwhile, they do have a boost as Nobel Mendy and Fran Perez are both expected to be back on the bench.
Rayo Vallecano are expected to field the same team that started in their last outing. The away side will line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, where Augusto Batalla will be in goal.
Andrei Ratiu and Alfonso Espino will feature as the full-backs, while Florian Lejeune will partner with Pathe Ciss in the heart of the defence. The back four will look to keep things tight at the back against a star-studded attack.
They will receive significant support from Oscar Valentin and Pedro Diaz, who will form the double pivot in midfield. Isi Palazon should continue in the number ten role, with Jorge de Frutos and Alvaro Garcia featuring out wide on the flanks. Finally, Sergio Camello is expected to be leading the line for Rayo Vallecano against Atletico Madrid.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Batalla; Ratiu, Ciss, Lejeune, Espino; Valentin, Diaz; De Frutos, Palazon, Garcia; Camello
Key Stats
- Atletico Madrid have only won one out of their first five league games.
- Rayo Vallecano have only tasted victory in nine out of their last 49 matches against Simeone’s team.
- Last time Atletico suffered a defeat at the hands of Rayo Vallecano was back in 2013.
- Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid have not been beaten at home by Rayo Vallecano since 2001 (Copa del Rey).
- Los Rojiblancos have won four out of their last five meetings against the visitors.
Player to Watch
Julian Alvarez
The 25-year-old Argentine international did have an impressive debut campaign last season, but he has not been able to reach those levels this time around. Alvarez only has one goal in his first five league outings, and since he is now the go-to man for Diego Simeone in the final third, the Argentine international certainly needs to do better.
Prediction
Atletico Madrid 2-1 Rayo Vallecano
Atletico Madrid will head into this fixture against Rayo Vallecano under real pressure, knowing that anything less than three points could see their title hopes fade even further. Despite a shaky start, they remain strong at home and have the quality to edge past Vallecano.
Rayo Vallecano, on the other hand, have shown resilience in patches, holding Barcelona to a draw proves they can frustrate even the best sides. However, their lack of consistency in both boxes leaves them vulnerable against a team of Atletico Madrid’s calibre. The Hard Tackle predicts a hard-fought 2-1 win for the home team.
