La Liga Preview: Atlético de Madrid in Top Form Aiming for Consecutive Wins, Rayo Vallecano Yet to Defeat Atlético This Year

On September 23 at 3 AM, in the 6th round of La Liga, Atlético de Madrid will face Rayo Vallecano away from home, with Simeone’s team aiming for their fourth consecutive win.

A current third place in the league, Atlético de Madrid trails league leaders Barcelona by 4 points, while Rayo Vallecano is ranked 11th, having accumulated 7 points in the first five rounds.

Rayo Vallecano earned 4 points in the first two rounds of the season. They first defeated Real Sociedad 2-1 and then drew 0-0 with Getafe. However, they suffered two consecutive losses, against Barcelona and Espanyol. In the last round, Rayo Vallecano defeated Osasuna 3-1 at home, securing their second victory of the season.

Under the coaching of Paco Jémez, Rayo Vallecano finished 17th in the league last season, just 5 points clear of the relegation zone, and this season’s start has been relatively good.

In terms of head-to-head record, Rayo Vallecano lost all three recent league matches against Atlético de Madrid. Moreover, they have not beaten Atlético since February 2013, with 3 draws and 13 losses in 16 games, clearly showing their disadvantage in historical encounters.

Last season, Atlético de Madrid completed a double over Rayo Vallecano in the league, including a 7-0 away victory. In the return leg at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium, Atlético de Madrid narrowly won 2-1.

A strong start to the season for Atlético de Madrid saw them achieve 3 wins and 2 losses in five rounds, accumulating 11 points and ranking third in the league.

Simeone’s team currently trails league leaders Barcelona by 4 points and second-placed Real Madrid by 1 point, so the standings could change significantly in the short term.

A draw with Villarreal in the first round of the league was followed by a 3-0 victory over Girona, but they were held to a draw at home by Espanyol in the third round.

Atlético secured consecutive victories in the next two rounds, winning 1-0 against Athletic Bilbao before the international break and defeating Valencia 3-0 last weekend.

Prior to this game, Atlético also played a Champions League match, beating their opponents 2-1, making it three consecutive wins across all competitions.

Alfonso Espino and Diego Mendes will continue to be absent for Rayo Vallecano, but the team’s overall condition is good. Coach Paco Jémez may make some adjustments to the starting lineup, with Iker Pozo and Unai López likely to enter the starting eleven.

López came off the bench against Osasuna and scored, while Pozo also performed well after coming on as a substitute, both of whom could get a starting opportunity. Sergio Camello should continue to play as the central striker.

As for Atlético de Madrid, Pablo Barrios is out due to a muscle issue. Compared to the Champions League match, there will be some changes to the starting lineup, with Samuel Lino, Cian Gallagher, and Aleksander Soloss expected to return to the starting lineup, while Antoine Griezmann will continue to start after performing well in the Champions League.

A strong squad depth means Atlético de Madrid are expected to remain unaffected by the Champions League match. Rayo Vallecano also possesses goal-scoring ability, but Atlético are clearly favored.

>>”>For more predictions and schemes for this match, click >>>