Real Madrid travel to Rayo Vallecano this evening with the opportunity to stretch their lead at the top of La Liga to nine points. They’re six clear of second-placed Sevilla, who take on city rivals Real Betis tomorrow afternoon. Rayo have hit a poor run of form after a superb start to the season and sit eleventh.
Madrid enjoyed a fine 3-0 win over Deportivo Alaves last weekend to bounce back from their 1-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain at the Parc des Princes in the Champions League the midweek before. They’ll hope to maintain their strong run of form at Vallecas before facing Real Sociedad next weekend and then welcoming PSG to the Santiago Bernabeu for their return leg.
Carlo Ancelotti is expected to set up in a 4-3-3 tonight, starting Thibaut Courtois in goal behind a back four of Dani Carvajal, Eder Militao, Nacho and Ferland Mendy. Casemiro will start in midfield with Toni Kroos and Luka Modric, while Karim Benzema will lead the line flanked by Marco Asensio and Vinicius Junior.
nice