Atletico Madrid – Rayo Vallecano
Atlético Madrid is under pressure, Rayo Vallecano senses its chance – you couldn’t ask for better ingredients for an exciting evening at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano. The Colchoneros are third, six points behind Real Madrid, while Rayo is sniffing around the European places in 10th place. The 1-1 draw in the first leg and Atlético’s five-game unbeaten streak against their Madrid neighbors are good indicators, but both teams have work to do: Atlético’s recent 0-1 defeat in Gran Canaria revealed defensive sloppiness, while Rayo had to settle for a 1-1 draw with Valencia after a hard-fought battle. Particularly explosive: Pablo Barrios is likely to miss out, while Jan Oblak returns in goal. Rayo coach Iñigo Pérez has reshuffled his defense and is relying on fresh legs, but the back line is still not as solid as it was in the fall. This is therefore unlikely to be a walk in the park for Atlético.
Atletico Madrid – Rayo Vallecano Info
- Venue: Riyadh Air Metropolitano, Madrid
- Date and time: 24.04.2025, 21:30
- Competition: La Liga (matchday 33)
Atletico Madrid form & record check
Atlético are currently looking erratic. After convincing wins against Valladolid (4-2) and Sevilla (2-1), they suffered a late 0-1 setback at Las Palmas. Simeone’s team have conceded at least one goal in each of their last five league games. What’s striking is that in four of these games, only one goal was scored after the break – an unusual pattern for the Rojiblancos, who are usually so tenacious in the final stages. Personnel update: Barrios is training individually, Oblak is back, and Griezmann could once again only be a substitute. The cushion in fourth place is six points, but Simeone urgently needs consistency to secure third place.
Simeone is likely to stick with his familiar 4-4-2 formation. Oblak will be protected by a back four of Llorente, Giménez, Le Normand, and Galán. Koke and Gallagher will dictate the tempo in the center, flanked by Rodrigo De Paul and Giovanni Simeone. Julián Álvarez and Sørloth are expected to start up front. There are no major absences; Griezmann is likely to remain on the bench for now – a clear statement in terms of performance.
Rayo Vallecano Form & Record Check
Rayo Vallecano is oscillating between satisfaction and frustration. The 1-1 draw against Valencia practically secured their place in the league, but they are still looking up. Only one win in five games – including a 0-4 defeat to Espanyol – is evidence of their dip in form. In four of these games, the team conceded at least one goal, mostly after the break. Rayo remain dangerous in attack, scoring in four of their last five games, but they often lose their shape after 60 minutes. They are tenth in the table, one point behind Real Sociedad, but also close to Osasuna. Coach Pérez continues to experiment: Pathe Cissé recently moved into central defense, a sign of the ongoing balancing act between stability and courage.
Rayo are also unlikely to deviate from their 4-2-3-1 formation. Batalla will be in goal, with Rațiu, Lejeune, Ciss, and Chavarría in front of him. Óscar Valentín and Gumbau will secure the center. In the attacking trio, De Frutos, Pedro Díaz, and Álvaro García are likely to rotate behind striker Nteka. Abdul Mumin is still out injured, but otherwise Pérez has a full squad to choose from.
H2H Atlético Madrid – Rayo Vallecano Head-to-head & statistics
In head-to-head matches, almost everything points to Atlético: three wins and two draws in the last five encounters. The September 2024 match ended 1-1, with Atlético winning 2-1 in January. In each of these games, the Colchoneros scored at least once, often in the early stages, while Rayo never kept a clean sheet. Remarkably, four times there were fewer than 1.5 goals after the break – as soon as Atlético took the lead, the pace slowed significantly.
