La Liga: Can Big Game James Help Rayo End Their Atleti Drought?

Rayo Vallecano vs Atletico Madrid

Rayo Vallecano almost lost their Spanish top-flight status last season. They barely made it out of relegation, finishing in 17^th place with only five points above the drop.

Los Franjirrojos are off to a decent start this 2024-25 campaign since they’re 10^th in the La Liga standings with seven points, and they will host Atletico Madrid on Sunday night at the Vallecas.

Getting a win against Atleti could prove to be a tall task for Inigo Perez and co., as Rayo Vallecano haven’t defeated them in a while.

And it doesn’t help them that Atletico Madrid are in fine form. Los Rojiblancos have yet to lose this season and are on a three-game winning streak across all competitions.

Diego Simeone’s side are second in the table behind Barca with 11 points, and another victory here could see them take solo second after this weekend’s La Liga 2024 results.

 

Talking Points

Rodriguez could be huge for Rayo Vallecano

Los Franjirrojos started their campaign by claiming four points with a 2-1 opening victory against Real Sociedad and a 0-0 draw against Getafe before suffering back-to-back 2-1 defeats against Barcelona and Espanyol.

However, they did bounce back with a 3-1 win over Osasuna on Tuesday, which just so happens to be James Rodriguez’s Rayo Vallecano debut, albeit off the bench.

After leaving Brazilian side Sao Paulo this summer, Rodriguez joined Los Franjirrojos as a free agent. He will play with a chip on her shoulder on his La Liga comeback.

The 33-year-old midfielder is a big boon for Rayo Vallecano’s offence. Rodriguez was named player of the tournament at the Copa America in July after dishing out six assists in Colombia’s run to the final.

Sergio Camello, Jorge de Frutos, Alvaro Garcia, and Adri Embarba will largely benefit from James Rodriguez’s creativity, and if that happens, Rayo Vallecano could contend for a spot in Europe next season.

 

Gallagher is Atletico Madrid’s x-factor

Conor Gallagher seems to have found a new home in Madrid after he was let go of Chelsea this summer. He scored his first goal for his new club during their 3-0 win against Valencia on Sunday.

Gallagher is the first Englishman to score for Los Rojiblancos in 101 years, and fans can’t wait to see more from the 24-year-old midfielder.

But besides scoring his first goal for the club, Gallagher was praised by his coaches and teammates for his all-around play. Against Valencia, he was a commanding presence in the middle of the park, having completed 83-per cent of his passes, won nine duels, and made all four of his tackles.

After coming off the bench in Atletico Madrid’s 2-1 win over RB Leipzig in the Champions League yesterday, Gallagher is expected to return in the starting XI alongside Alexander Sorloth and Samuel Lino.

Pablo Barrios is the only guaranteed absentee against Rayo Vallecano, as the 21-year-old Spaniard is set to miss at least five games after sustaining a muscle tear.

 

History

Rayo Vallecano haven’t beaten Atletico Madrid in La Liga in any of their last 14 matches (D2, L12) since a 2-1 result in February 2013, which is their longest winless run against any other Spanish top-flight opponent.

Rayo Vallecano’s last hosting of Atletico Madrid didn’t go well for them, as Los Rojiblancos won 7-0, their largest ever win in any competitive fixture. Overall, Atleti won their last five visits at the Vallecas.

Six Los Rojiblancos found the back of the net that game, as Alvaro Morata (brace), Antoine Griezmann, Memphis Depay, Nahuel Molina, Angel Correa, and Marcos Llorente were on the scoresheet.

Rayo Vallecano have won four of their last eight La Liga home matches (D1, L3) after failing to record a single win in their previous 11 such games.

 

Betting Tip

The La Liga 2024 odds envision the visitors extending their winning streak on Sunday. Atletico Madrid are 1.78 favourites, whereas a Rayo Vallecano victory is priced at 4.24, and a draw is at 3.28 in the 1X2 market.

Atletico Madrid have dominated Rayo Vallecano in the past few years, and they’re scoring more goals this season. So, other than our recommended bet above, SBOTOP bettors may also go for Total Goal 2-3 at 1.97, Over 2.00 at 1.63, Over 2.25 at 1.93, or even Over 2.50 at 2.21. A Correct Score of 2-1 in favour of Atletico Madrid – the result of their previous league encounter – has a decent offer of 8.20. Furthermore, any Correct Score that has Rayo Vallecano winning should grant you a payout of at least 10.50.

   

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