During matchday 24 of La Liga, Rayo Vallecano showcased their prowess by decisively defeating Atlético de Madrid with a score of 3-0. The breakthrough came at the 39-minute mark when Fran Pérez, demonstrating his skill, seized the ball and netted the first goal for Rayo. Just before halftime, in the 44th minute, Óscar Valentín extended the lead with another brilliant goal from a well-executed play. Finally, in the second half, Nobel Mendy capped off the game with a header at the 75-minute mark, sealing the impressive victory.
Andrei Ratiu was the standout player of the match, proving his defensive skills by clearing 7 dangerous balls from the area, contributing significantly to the team’s clean sheet. Mendy also had a commendable performance, not only scoring but also clearing 5 threats from his defense.
The manager of Rayo, Iñigo Perez, opted for a 4-5-1 formation, featuring Augusto Batalla in goal; Andrei Ratiu, Florian Lejeune, Nobel Mendy, and Luis Alfonso Espino in defense; Óscar Valentín, Gerard Gumbau, Ilias Akhomach, Isaac Palazón, and Fran Pérez in midfield; and Jorge de Frutos leading the attack.
On the other hand, Atlético de Madrid, coached by Diego Simeone, lined up in a 4-4-2 formation, with Jan Oblak guarding the net; Nahuel Molina, José María Giménez, Clément Lenglet, and Matteo Ruggeri forming the defensive unit; Thiago Almada, Rodrigo Mendoza, Johnny Cardoso, and Nicolás González in the midfield; and Álex Baena and Alexander Sorloth at the front.
The match was officiated by referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea at the Municipal de Butarque Stadium.
Looking ahead, Rayo Vallecano will travel to face Betis in their next match, while Atlético will host Espanyol.
This result brings Rayo Vallecano to 25 points, placing them in sixteenth place in the league standings. Conversely, Atlético remains in the top four with 45 points.
Substitutions for Rayo Vallecano
63’ 2T – Isaac Palazón was replaced by Pedro Díaz, Jorge de Frutos by Jozhua Vertrouwd, and Fran Pérez by Álvaro García.
73’ 2T – Ilias Akhomach was subbed off for Randy Nteka.
82’ 2T – Gerard Gumbau was taken off for Unai López.
Yellow Card for Rayo Vallecano:
46’ 2T – Álvaro García (Unsporting behavior).
Substitutions for Atlético de Madrid
55’ 2T – Rodrigo Mendoza was substituted for Robin Le Normand and Matteo Ruggeri for Obed Vargas.
56’ 2T – Álex Baena was replaced by Julián Álvarez.
62’ 2T – Johnny Cardoso and Clément Lenglet were substituted for Marcos Llorente and Ademola Lookman, respectively.
Yellow Cards for Atlético de Madrid:
28’ 1T – Johnny Cardoso (Unsporting behavior), 6’ 2T – Rodrigo Mendoza (Holding the opponent to prevent advance), and 24’ 2T – Marcos Llorente (Unsporting behavior).