Real Madrid travel to face Rayo Vallecano hoping to extend their lead at the top of the La Liga table.
- Real Madrid to win both halves @ 6/4 with Paddy Power
- BTTS NO @ 10/11 with Bet365
- Over 2.5 goals @ 4/5 with William Hill
These odds are correct at the time of publication and are subject to change.
Date: 18/02/24
Kick-off time: 13:00
Venue: Estadio de Vallecas
Rayo Vallecano will be looking to cause an upset as they take on the league leaders Real Madrid at Estadio de Vallecas.
Los Blancos sit top of the table, five points clear of Girona following their 4-0 win last week over their fellow title challengers. The emphatic victory has put them in firm control of the title race as they look set to win their 36th La Liga title. A win over Vallecano could put them eight clear depending on other results, but at the very least would maintain their healthy advantage at the summit. However, a defeat would leave the door wide open for Girona to capitalise and close the gap again.
In contrast, their opponents Rayo Vallecano are in the bottom half of the table. They are in no imminent danger of being dragged into a relegation battle, but a loss may leave them nervously looking over their shoulders. They are currently seven points clear of safety, with three other teams separating them and 18th place Cadiz.
Carlo Ancelotti’s side have the league’s best attack and defence, so it will take a lot for their opponents to get the better of them. However, Jude Bellingham will be absent through injury, so that is a big offensive threat missing. Vallecano struggle for goals, so may need a bit of luck to get past such a stubborn back-line. Alvaro Garcia is the club’s top scorer this season with just five goals. They have also conceded 32 goals this season, so will have to be at the top of their game to keep out the likes of Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo.
This is a fixture that, as expected, Real Madrid have dominated. In the last five meetings between themselves and Rayo Vallecano, they have won three, lost one and drawn one. That one draw came in the reverse fixture earlier this season, in which Vallecano surprisingly held Los Blancos to a 0-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu, one of just five games in which the league leaders have dropped points in.
There have been 17 total meetings since 2000, with Vallecano winning just two. Between December 2000 and December 2018, Real Madrid had won 17 games in a row against their opponents, highlighting the difficulty of the task their hosts face this weekend.
Primera División 
