Atletico Madrid vs Rayo Vallecano

Atletico Madrid will seek a feracious start to the new calendar year when they take on fellow La Liga top-four contenders Rayo Vallecano at the Estadio Wanda Metropolitano.

After losing four consecutive La Liga matches down the final stretch of 2021, Atletico Madrid will have a point to prove in the new calendar year, as they enter this round a point below fourth-placed Rayo Vallecano. Having already set his worst personal run of La Liga defeats in charge of Atletico (4), head coach Diego Simeone will hope to avoid equaling the club’s worst-ever losing streak of five games from 1942. By contrast, ‘Los Rojiblancos’ have won each of their last seven La Liga meetings with Rayo Vallecano at home, registering four clean sheets in the process. Another shutout could be required here, as each of Atletico’s four top-flight home victories this season has come ‘to nil.’ But with five (83.33%) of their six La Liga home goals conceded this season arriving beyond half-time, the hosts will have to take care of their second-half display.

As for Rayo Vallecano, a comfortable 2-0 home victory over Deportivo Alaves in their final La Liga game of 2021 puts them in an unexpected fourth-place ahead of the second half of the season. Worryingly, though, the visitors have been the epitome of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, depending on the turf. While they’ve gained the league-high 25 La Liga points at home this season, only five of their total 30 La Liga points have arrived on the road. Indeed, ‘Los Franjirrojos’ are the fourth joint-worst traveling side in the division after winning just one of their nine La Liga away matches this term (D2, L6). By extension, they have picked up a mere one victory from their last 18 top-flight games on the road (D3, L14), which sounds ominously.