Third-place Real Madrid hosts seventh-place Rayo Vallecano in what should be an entertaining La Liga match-up at the Santiago Bernabéu.
Date: 09/03/2025
Location: Santiago Bernabéu
Time: 3:15pm
When these two sides last met on 14th December the game resulted in a thrilling 3-3 draw at Estadio de Vallecas, as Isi levelled the score up for Vallecano in the 64th-minute after Real Madrid had come back from 2-0 down thanks to goals by Federico Valverde Jude Bellingham and Rodrygo.
Real are fighting on all fronts as they are just three points behind top of the table Barcelona in La Liga, having earned 54 points from 26 matches following 16 wins, six draws and four defeats.
As far as cup competitions go, Los Blancos are in control of their Copa del Rey semi-final tie with Real Sociedad having won the first leg 1-0 after progressing past Leganes (3-2), Celta Vigo (5-2) and Minera (5-0).
In the Champions League, Real look like a force to be reckoned with once again, as despite having a below-par group stage, having earned 15 points from eight matches following wins over Stuttgart (3-1), Borussia Dortmund (5-2), Atalanta (3-2), Red Bull Salzburg (5-1) and Brest (3-0) while suffering defeats to Lille (1-0), AC Milan (3-1) and Liverpool (2-0).
Ancelotti’s men have looked far more convincing in the Champions League’s knockout stages, though, as they thrashed Manchester City 6-3 on aggregate while earning a vital 2-1 home win against Atlético Madrid in the first leg of their Round of 16 tie.
Rayo Vallecano are having a very impressive campaign, as they look set to significantly improve on last season’s 17th-place finish, where they earned just 38 points. The visitors are seventh on 36 points, just two points behind sixth-place Real Betis, who occupy the final European qualification place.
Inigo Perez deserves a lot of credit for Vallecano’s improvement, having shown fantastic managerial credentials at the age of just 37. The ex-Osasuna midfielder took the job in mid-February last season and consolidated their place in the division prior to this campaign. Interestingly, Perez was supposed to move to AFC Bournemouth with Andoni Iraola, however, he wasn’t granted a work permit to move to the Vitality Stadium as assistant manager.
In the Copa del Rey, Vallecano were knocked out in the quarter-finals by Real Sociedad (3-1) after beating Racing Ferrol (3-1), Unionistas (3-2) and Villamuriel (5-0).
Primera División 
