Small Madrid city derby: Will Rayo also trouble Real Madrid?
Real Madrid will be looking for another win at the Santiago Bernabeu after two disappointing draws at home. On the 13th matchday of La Liga, Real Madrid welcome promoted Rayo Vallecano on Saturday evening (9pm) for a small Madrid city derby.
Three points are of course a must for the record champions – but beware: Rayo is playing a really strong season, is a poisonous starting team full of self-confidence and recently even beat FC Barcelona.
You shouldn’t expect a sure-fire winner, not only because Rayo are not afraid of big names and play light-heartedly. And Real Madrid currently has a bit of the autumn blues – the Madrilenians rarely know how to convince, often only do what is necessary.
So it may be worth considering a bet on a surprise win for the visitors before Real Madrid vs. Rayo Vallecano – whether it’s a triple or just a single.
The odds on Real Madrid vs. Rayo Vallecano are unsurprisingly clear – Real are the big favourites. However, this also means that there is very interesting value on the draw or the away win.
Real Madrid – Statistics & current form
Real Madrid rarely cover themselves with glory this season – at least there was a successful week for the Madrilenians in terms of results. First they won 2-1 in Elche last matchday, then they also won 2-1 against Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League during the week.
A must-win, but one that stood on shaky legs. In a wild game, especially in the first half, the Ukrainians had a number of chances to change the result. Real showed once again in this game that the team is vulnerable – even at the Santiago Bernabeu and even against opponents that they should actually dominate and beat easily in the end, if it goes according to the royals’ own claim.
Real Madrid: Two meagre zeros at the Bernabeu in a row
In the league, Real have also failed to win their last two home games. Against Villarreal and Osasuna, coach Carlo Ancelotti’s team could not get beyond a meagre 0-0 draw at the Bernabeu, two not only disappointing results but also sobering performances that for once did not result in victories.
Before Real Madrid vs. Rayo Vallecano, it is of course obvious to bet on a home win, but this will not be without risk.
Real Madrid are on target in the standings, despite their zero points. With one game less than league leaders Real Sociedad, they are in second place with 24 points. And yet, in view of their recent performances, it would not really come as a surprise if they were to draw for the third time in a row at home – because Rayo have presented themselves as brash and attack-minded this season.
If you believe in a draw, you can find great offers of well over 5.00 on this prediction before Real Madrid vs Rayo Vallecano.
Predicted Real Madrid line-up:
Courtois – Carvajal, Militao, Alaba, Mendy – Casemiro, Kroos, Modric – Rodrygo, Benzema, Vinicius Jr.
Last matches played by Real Madrid:
Champions League Grp. D
11/03 2021 – Real Madrid 2 – 1 Shakhtar Donetsk
LaLiga
10/30 2021 – Elche 1 – 2 Real Madrid
10/27 2021 – Real Madrid 0 – 0 Osasuna Pamplona
10/24 2021 – Barcelona 1 – 2 Real Madrid
Champions League Grp. D
10/19 2021 – Shakhtar Donetsk 0 – 5 Real Madrid
Rayo Vallecano – Statistics & current form
Speaking of draws at home, the last time Rayo had one was on the last matchday, when they only played 0-0 against Celta Vigo in Vallecas.
This meant that they were not able to improve on their previous home win against FC Barcelona on matchday 11, but they remained unbeaten at home, even though they lost their first point at the Campo de Futbol de Vallecas. Rayo is the best home team in the league with five home wins and one draw, and Barcelona had to learn that painfully.
However, the promoted team has a much tougher time away from home, even though they only travel a few kilometres north to the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid. Rayo have won just one of their six away games so far, with four defeats and one draw.
Will the brash Rayo also upset favourites Real Madrid?
The brash and carefree promoted team is usually fearless and poisonous everywhere, but they simply haven’t managed to collect as many points away from home as they have at home. That is why the Ancelotti team is the clear favourite due to the home game, as the betting odds make clear for Real Madrid vs.
And yet, Rayo’s style of play can mean that Real Madrid will also be confronted with defensive problems in this match – and that the spectators will be able to marvel at a few goalmouth scenes and scoring chances – possibly similar to what was seen against Donetsk during the week.
This also means that a look at Both to Score and/or Over 2.5 goals can be worthwhile. Before Real Madrid vs. Rayo Vallecano, betting on the former offers good value for us – especially when you see how Real Madrid have performed defensively recently.
Predicted line-up of Rayo Vallecano:
Dimitrievski – Balliu, Maras, Catena, F. Garcia – Comesana, Valentin, Palazon, Trejo , A. Garcia – Falcao
Last matches played by Rayo Vallecano:
LaLiga
11/01 2021 – Rayo Vallecano 0 – 0 Celta Vigo
10/27 2021 – Rayo Vallecano 1 – 0 Barcelona
10/24 2021 – Real Betis 3 – 2 Rayo Vallecano
10/17 2021 – Rayo Vallecano 2 – 1 Elche
10/02 2021 – Osasuna Pamplona 1 – 0 Rayo Vallecano
Real Madrid – Rayo Vallecano Direct comparison / H2H record
The last city derby against the great Real Madrid is one Rayo Vallecano will remember fondly – because it was won.Rayo won 1-0 against Los Blancos in April 2019 before they were relegated to the second division.
It was their first win against their big city neighbours after a previous 17 league defeats in a row! In those 17 games, the goal difference was 60:14, so it seems very unlikely that Real Madrid will go without a goal against Rayo. If you bet on more than 3.5 goals in a match, you can get a lucrative 2.30 at Betway, for example.
By the way, the last time Rayo won a point at the Bernabeu was in 2000, when the score was just 0-0. However, we would not recommend making a prediction on this result before Real Madrid vs. Rayo Vallecano.
Real Madrid – Rayo Vallecano Tip
There have been regular spectacles when this little Madrid derby has taken place in the past – only mostly to the detriment of Rayo Vallecano, who have regularly – namely 17 times in a row – picked up packs, including as much as a 10:2 in the 2015/16 season.
This season, Rayo are too good for that and Real Madrid too staid. While Rayo are ranked 6th as the surprise team of the season, Real are mostly struggling to uninspired must-wins.
It wouldn’t be a complete surprise if Rayo could take points off the record champions at the Bernabeu, but we still believe that the quality of the home side will prevail in the end – also because you can expect a lively game to develop, as Rayo don’t like to defend deep and will thus leave spaces.
Real should know how to exploit these, even if not in exhilarating form. Therefore, we believe in a few goals – and therefore play on Real Madrid against Rayo Vallecano at odds of 2.75 that Real wins and both score.
