Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the La Liga match.
Both sides have made inconsistent starts to the season. Atlético Madrid, after a busy summer in the transfer market, are yet to hit their stride, while Rayo Vallecano began brightly but have tailed off, collecting just one point from their last two matches.
Atlético Madrid
Atlético Madrid have won only one of their last six matches across all competitions. In attack, Julián Álvarez remains their main threat, but confidence is an issue – underlined by his missed penalty in the 1:1 draw with Mallorca. Atlético Madrid have found the net in every game this season, but they have also conceded in four of their five La Liga fixtures. Their record at home to Rayo Vallecano is dominant, however, with 10 wins from the last 11 league meetings in Madrid.
Rayo Vallecano
Rayo Vallecano kicked off their season in style, knocking Nemán out of the Conference League qualifiers (5:0 on aggregate) and beating Girona (3:1). But momentum has faded since the international break, with just one goal scored across their last two league games, which brought a defeat and a draw. Defensive lapses have crept in, and away from home Rayo Vallecano have lost their last two matches by a combined 0:3.
Atlético Madrid vs Rayo Vallecano Prediction
The head-to-head record heavily favours Atlético Madrid, and with Rayo Vallecano showing signs of decline, the hosts should capitalise. Despite their recent struggles, Atlético Madrid still possess the quality to dominate and should get the job done with at least a couple of goals.
