Who: Real Madrid vs Rayo Vallecano
Content: Spanish La Liga
Location: Bernabéu, Madrid, Spain
Date and time: Sunday, February 1st, 2pm local time (13:00 GMT)
How to follow: All content will be broadcast on Al Jazeera Sports from 10:00 GMT, ahead of the text commentary stream.
Real Madrid continue to fight to maintain their form in a turbulent season and must quickly shake off their UEFA Champions League woes ahead of Sunday’s visit of Rayo Vallecano in La Liga.
Recommended stories
list of 4 itemsend of list
Los Blancos lost to Benfica on Wednesday, missing out on an automatic place in the last 16 of Europe’s top club competition.
Currently, attention is once again focused on keeping pace with Barcelona, the league leaders and defending champions, on the domestic front.
What was Real Madrid’s reaction to losing to Benfica?
Real Madrid coach Álvaro Arbeloa has insisted he stands by his team’s stars and gives them as much time as possible, despite debate over whether the team can function effectively with all of them on the pitch.
Los Blancos’ loss on Wednesday means they have to play more Champions League finals, but with so much attacking talent playing together, balance can be a struggle.
For Arbeloa, Kylian Mbappé, Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Junior have each completed the last four games alongside goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, while midfielder Fede Valverde has started all four games and was substituted once.
“I always want to have the best players on the pitch. The more time they can play for me in the team, the better,” Arbeloa said at a press conference when asked if the five players were “untouchables”.
“These are players who can shake up the game at any time. Some people who are not Madrid fans may not want them on the pitch, but Madrid supporters always want their best players on the field.”
“I think the five players I mentioned are in the top 10 in the world, so they have my full trust. And it’s not just my trust. It’s their performance that gets them on the pitch.”
What happened to Kylian Mbappé’s criticism of Real in Madrid?
French superstar Mbappe criticized the team’s inconsistency and Arbeloa said Madrid were working on solving the problem.
“Look, we’re working to find the consistency that we want in our game and at every level. I don’t think this is a time to be disappointed or to feel elated,” Arbeloa said.
“It’s time for work. Nothing else.”
What kind of relationship do Barcelona and Real Madrid have in La Liga?
Barcelona host Elche on Saturday night with a chance to extend their lead by four points ahead of Real’s trip to Vallecano.
How has Rayo Vallecano fared in La Liga this season?
Rayo Vallecano are in serious danger of being relegated, having won just five of their 21 games this season.
Three of those wins have come on the road, so away games at least give them hope.
The difference in points between the bottom nine clubs is just eight points, with Vallecano remaining in 16th place going into round 21.
What happened the last time Real Madrid faced Rayo Vallecano?
The last time the two teams met was in a La Liga match in Vallecano on November 9th. The match ended in a disappointing 0-0 draw for Real, which led to Alonso’s resignation as manager.
What happened in the corresponding match between Real Madrid and Rayo Vallecano last season?
Real won 2-1 in La Liga at the Bernabéu last season.
Mbappé and Vinicius gave the Whites a two-goal lead in the match on March 9, and Pedro Díaz pulled one back before the break, but the visitors were unable to make any further impact in the second half.
direct confrontation
This will be the 48th meeting between Real Madrid and Rayo Vallecano. Los Blancos won 33 games, while Vallecano won 7.
Real Madrid team news
Antonio Rudiger, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Ferland Mendy have all returned to training following their injuries, but the defensive trio remains unavailable for first-team action.
Eder Militao has been out for a long time due to a serious hamstring injury, and the central defender is expected to be out until late March.
Raul Asensio and Rodrygo were both red in midweek’s Champions League loss to Benfica, but both are eligible for La Liga selection.
Real Madrid’s projected starting lineup
Courtois. Valverde, Asensio, Juisén, Carreras. Camavinga, Choameni, Bellingham. Rodrygo, Mbappe, Vinicius
Rayo Vallecano team news
Abdul Mumin and Andrei Latiu will be sidelined with knee and leg injuries respectively. Ivan Value has struggled to shake off the knock and could face a late fitness test.
Ilias Ahomach came on as a substitute in the last game against Osasuna and is working towards his first start after joining on loan from Villarreal.
Rayo Vallecano’s predicted starting lineup
Batala; Value, Lejeune, Sis, Chavarria; Parazon, Valentin, Diaz. Ahomak, De Frutos, A. Garcia
