LaLiga Matchday 36: Real target redemption in Rayo derby

Sunday's shock defeat at Valencia saw Real Madrid end Matchday 35 in third place, so it is vital they return to winning ways against city rivals Rayo Vallecano.

Atletico Madrid will be tough to shift from second spot as Diego Simeone's men play relegation-threatened Espanyol.

Barcelona also take on a side in the drop zone when they travel to out-of-form Real Valladolid this evening.

Elsewhere, fellow strugglers Cadiz and Getafe face tricky trips to Villarreal and Real Betis respectively — two teams who look set for Europa League qualification.

Game of the week: Real Madrid vs Rayo Vallecano (Wednesday, 6.30pm)

Three losses in five LaLiga matches have seen Real drop to third in the table.

Though that position still guarantees a spot in next season's Champions League, finishing below neighbours Atleti would be a bitter pill to swallow for Los Blancos supporters.

The latest defeat for Carlo Ancelotti's outfit came against Valencia, when a 1-0 reverse was marred by racist chanting aimed at Vinicius Junior — who also received a red card in the game's closing stages.

But Real will fancy their chances of bouncing back on home soil when they face a Vallecano side that are lodged firmly in mid-table and have lost each of their previous two outings.

Real Valladolid vs Barcelona (Tuesday, 9pm)

Barcelona wanted to celebrate their LaLiga triumph in style on Saturday, so a 2-1 home loss to Real Sociedad will have been something of a disappointment.

Luckily, a trip to the Estadio Jose Zorrilla offers the perfect opportunity to right that wrong.

Valladolid are on a woeful run of form after losing five league matches in succession, leaving them inside the division's bottom three ahead of this gameweek.

The margins are remarkably fine at the bottom, though, with only goal difference separating the hosts from 17th-placed Getafe — so Paulo Pezzolano's unit will be fighting for their lives in tonight's match-up.

Espanyol vs Atletico Madrid (Wednesday, 9pm)

Atleti are in pole position to finish as the capital's highest-ranked club but Wednesday's visit to Espanyol represents a potential banana skin.

The Barcelona-based side could climb out of the relegation zone with a victory after securing a morale-boosting 2-1 triumph at Rayo Vallecano on Matchday 35.

And Atleti's previous meeting with the Catalans will serve as a warning to Simeone's troops. They were only able to draw that contest 1-1, despite the visitors playing with 10 men for over an hour.

Yannick Carrasco may be key to avoiding a repeat of that outcome, having registered three goal contributions in his last three matches — and eight since April — despite featuring at left-back for the majority of those fixtures.

Villarreal vs Cadiz (Wednesday, 6.30pm)

Villarreal sit five points behind fourth-placed Sociedad with three games to play as they face Cadiz looking to keep their faint hopes of Champions League qualification alive.

A Europa League finish appears a more likely outcome for the Yellow Submarine despite their impressive recent run of four wins and a draw in five matches.

Opponents Cadiz are also in reasonable form after winning two of their last four, though they are still just three points above the relegation trapdoor.

The Andalusians will need to be particularly wary of Nicolas Jackson, who has hit a hot streak in recent weeks — he boasts a remarkable six goals and two assists in his previous five games.

Real Betis vs Getafe (Wednesday, 9pm)

Betis could secure a top-six spot with the right set of results this week — but Getafe's situation is far more precarious.

A defeat in Seville, coupled with positive results for either Valladolid or Espanyol, would see Jose Bordalas' outfit dragged into the bottom three.

The Azulones have really struggled in the final third this term, as evidenced by their paltry expected goals (xG) total of 34.32. Only Mallorca (33.61) have a worse record for that metric.

Top scorer Enes Unal (14) is Getafe's biggest goal threat, though he has found the net just once in his last eight LaLiga matches.

The week's other games

Celta Vigo vs Girona (Tuesday, 6.30pm) 

Real Sociedad vs Almeria (Tuesday, 6.30pm) 

Elche vs Sevilla (Wednesday, 6.30pm) 

Mallorca vs Valencia (Thursday, 6.30pm) 

Osasuna vs Athletic Bilbao (Thursday, 8.30pm)

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