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If Real Madrid were to beat Rayo Vallecano at Campo de Futbol de Vallecas on Saturday night, they would take over first place in La Liga.
The host team, Rayo, is in 12th place, but Los Blancos are in second place, two points behind Barcelona (who lead the league), and have won their last two games in a row.
Previous Matches and Head-to-head
Rayo is currently in 12th place in La Liga with 19 points, with a record of 5 wins, 4 draws, and six losses in 15 matches this season. They are six points above the relegation zone.
The team from the nation's capital has played good defense so far this season, allowing just 16 goals in 15 games. However, they have struggled to score goals, with only 15, putting them in fourth place among the division's offensive teams.
After a 3-2 win over Unionistas de Salamanca on December 4, Los Franjirrojos advanced to the Copa del Rey quarterfinals last weekend with a 1-0 league triumph against Valencia.
Real Madrid have lost points in half of their eight league games away from Bernabeu — drawing three and losing one — while Inigo Perez's side have only managed to collect eight points from seven home league matches this season.
In their two league encounters last season, Rayo and Real Madrid were both held to a draw. However, Real Madrid could have a better record against Rayo, winning only seven of their past forty-four matches. Historically, Real Madrid has scored more than 2.5 goals per game versus Rayo.
With a 3-2 victory against Atalanta in Italy, Real Madrid moved up to 20th place in the Champions League standings with nine points from six games played. They will be riding high into this encounter.
Last weekend, Ancelotti's squad bounced back magnificently from their 2-1 loss to Athletic Bilbao at San Mames on December 4 with a 3-0 La Liga triumph against Girona.
As Hansi Flick's squad isn't in play until Sunday at home against Leganes, a win for Los Blancos on Saturday night would put them in first place in La Liga, two points behind leaders Barcelona, who have a game in hand.
Real Madrid's defense has been rock-strong this season, allowing only 13 goals in 16 matches. They are atop the La Liga scoring charts with 34 goals, second only to Barcelona's 46.
After a lackluster start to the season, Ancelotti's squad is in a good position to go to the Champions League quarterfinals, if necessary, through a playoff. Meanwhile, Real Madrid are back in the title hunt thanks to Barcelona's recent league struggles.
Rayo Vallecano x Real Madrid Team News
Pelayo Fernandez and Raul de Tomas are two players Rayo will not be able to use in Saturday's match against Real Madrid, but other than that, the hosts are in good form.
It seems likely that Randy Nteka will start at center forward again after he started the last game against Valencia, given the consistency of the performance and the outcome.
The offensive trio of Alvaro Garcia, Isi Palazon, and Jorge de Frutos will remain unchanged, while Perez's side will once again have Pathe Ciss in the center of midfield, where he scored in the match against Valencia.
Real Madrid will be without Kylian Mbappe for Sunday's match and the Intercontinental Cup final owing to the Frenchman's thigh injury, which he sustained against Atalanta. The ailment is not considered significant.
Concerns over Jude Bellingham's fitness after the Atalanta match have been alleviated, while Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo are also expected to play after returning from injuries sustained in the previous game against Europe.
As for the starting lineup, Aurelien Tchouameni will likely keep his place in the midst of defense, Dani Ceballos will likely move into central midfield, and Rodrygo will likely play through the middle.
Ferland Mendy, Eduardo Camavinga, Eder Militao, Dani Carvajal, and David Alaba will all sit out this year's last league fixture for Los Blancos.
Our Predictions
Real Madrid to win @ 1.60 on Sky247.ng
Even though Real Madrid won't be playing at their best on Saturday, Rayo can make it a tough match for Los Blancos. A draw would not be surprising if the teams split the points this weekend, but we still think Ancelotti's squad can find a way to win and go to the top of the league.
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