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After a gap of seven days, Real Madrid returned to action on Sunday night. The rest is well deserved for the men in white, for they returned home with three precious points in El Clasico last weekend.
The La Liga title race is wide open eleven match days into the season. Four clubs sit in contention, with just four points separating them. Consistency, at this point, is critical.
Come Sunday, Los Blancos face a tricky opposition in Rayo Vallecano. Francisco Rodriguez’s men are currently seventh in La Liga with four wins in eleven games. Notably, however, they are unbeaten in their last nine games across all competitions.
The Merengues are the favourites to walk away with three points, but with new variables now in the picture, the story is not as clear.
Madrid Universal brings you three talking points ahead of Real Madrid vs Rayo Vallecano at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Keeping the steam
The mood in Madrid has never been better all season. After all, Real Madrid sit on the top of the table both in La Liga and their UEFA Champions League group and are coming off perhaps their biggest win of the season.
Last weekend, Los Blancos travelled to Catalonia to take on Barcelona in El Clasico. The first half did not pan out according to Carlo Ancelotti’s plans, with the men in white going down a goal early.
What unfolded in the second half was ruthless. The game remained balanced between the two arch-rivals, but the Merengues took their chances with unreal precision. In the end, two Jude Bellingham goals sealed the win for Real Madrid.
Real Madrid are thus unbeaten in their last seven games across all competitions, winning six of them. Further, they boast a four-point lead over Barcelona and are only tied with Girona at the top.
Heading into tomorrow’s clash against Rayo Vallecano, the team must ride on the high. The momentum is on their side, and a win could potentially take them to the sole leader position.
Two fresh blows
Real Madrid suffered two injuries in quick succession during El Clasico, both of the players who started on the afternoon.
The first player was Ferland Mendy. The French defender was seen limping immediately after half-time and was substituted off for Eduardo Camavinga in the 48th minute.
Mendy made his return to group training earlier today, but is not yet at full fitness, and as such he will be sitting out against Rayo Vallecano, although Ancelotti did hint that he could be ready for the SC Braga clash.
The second, and perhaps more worrying blow, was suffered by Aurelien Tchouameni. The midfield star suffered a foot fracture and is likely to be sidelined for at least two months through the same.
Tchouameni was perhaps the single most important factor in Real Madrid’s midfield dominance this season, and his injury comes as a big blow.
With the Frenchman injured, his compatriot Eduardo Camavinga is expected to take his place in the coming games. The 20-year-old has proven his value at the base of the midfield multiple times. Against Rayo Vallecano, he will be on defensive midfield duty once more.
Pressure on the former Rayo Vallecano star
Carlo Ancelotti’s team does not have many cracks on the field, but the left-back position would be one of the more worrying departments if forced to choose.
In Ferland Mendy, Eduardo Camavinga, and Fran Garcia, the manager has enjoyed the liberty to choose from three players so far this season. However, the circumstances are no longer the same.
Mendy is out of contention for a starting spot, while Camavinga will almost certainly play the coming clashes as the defensive midfielder.
Ancelotti is thus left with Garcia as his only left-back option ahead of tomorrow’s clash. The storyline is poetic when one considers that Garcia rose to prominence and caught Real Madrid’s eye once again playing with Rayo Vallecano, the Merengues’ opposition on the night.
As the team’s only viable left-back option, the spotlight will be on Garcia to step up and prove his worth to the management.
