Unknown
Vallecas remains impregnable. The days go by and Rayo remains undefeated at home, where they have beaten Granada, Getafe, Cádiz, Elche and Barça. Only Celta escaped alive, with whom he drew in the last contest held in his domain. They flew those two points, but not their condition as the best First place. Something that will examine a Mallorca that has only won once at home this season, on August 21 against Alavés. Months later he has scratched two points with the tables against Valencia and Cádiz.
That power before his people is what keeps Rayo in the fight for Europe (follow today’s game live on As.com). A draw would be enough to regain sixth place, provisionally in the hands of Barça. In Vallecas everything is possible. There a giant like Barça fell down and there, in the background, will be Santiago Bejarano today. Another giant. This franjirrojo fan woke up, after 50 days intubated by COVID, just 24 hours before the comeback and the ascent of his team in Montilivi. It was the miracle that preceded another miracle and spurred the squad even more., who found out about her story through social media.
Santiago and the thousands of souls that will populate the stands expect a better outcome than last season, when Mallorca knocked out the locals in just twenty minutes (they went 0-3 and the contest ended 1-3). At that time, the vermilion came in a bad streak (now they chain five days without winning) and the franjirrojos had only fallen once in their fiefdom (now not even that). That Mallorca went up and Rayo accompanied him, playoff through. Hence, this duel measures two old acquaintances, two newly promoted who, for the moment, pass through the elite without qualifying burdens.
Iraola will repeat the eleven of the Bernabéu, with Nteka in tip. More changes are expected in the ranks of Luis García, who will have to pull the subsidiary to cover the plague of casualties. The coach could reserve Amath, warned, for his next appointment in Getafe, before his ex.
The presence of Falcao in the list is the great unknown rayista
Radamel Falcao is not ruled out for the duel against Mallorca and that is already great news for Rayo. The forward requested the change in the last game, that of the Bernabéu on November 6, due to annoyances that resulted in a tear in the adductor magnus of the right thigh. Then, the franjirrojo club estimated that the time off could be around three weeks. However, the Colombian He has taken advantage of this break to focus on his recovery and could reach the match against Mallorca. “He is evolving well from the injury, although it is just right for the game,” Iraola warned. His presence in the call is unknown, although it would not be unreasonable to see him on the bench this Monday.
Falcao is being important for Rayo. He is already the top scorer in the Strip with five goals, a figure he has achieved in just 334 minutes. Nobody marks more every less time. In addition, he has wet against the greats (Athletic, Barça and Madrid). The many that gave the Vallecanos victory against the lions (1-2) and the Catalans (1-0) carried their signature.
Trejo and Mario, before the past
Two of the Rayo captains have a vermilion past. Mallorca was Trejo’s first team in our league. A very young Chocota He landed in the Manzano team back in 06-07 and stayed for three seasons. In that last one he already coincided with his current partner Mario Suárez, who spent two years on the island (08-10). Both are reunited with their past.
The keys to the game
High flights
Rayo is the team that scores the most with the head. Five of his 19 goals were headshots. Two of them had Falcao’s signature and the rest were made by Comesaña, Ciss and Mario Hernández.
Absences
Mallorca loses seven important players from the squad between injuries, sanctions and positives in COVID. The rest of the troops will have a litmus test to convince the coach.
Alert
The franjirrojos are the ones who commit the most penalties (they have six) and who receive the most goals like this (four, the same as Cádiz). Dimitrievski has stopped two.
Corner
It is the vermilion specialty. Almost 40% of his goals (5 of 13) have been scored from corners. No team has done that many like this; Granada and Espanyol have 4.
Rain
It is expected that it will rain throughout Monday in Madrid. There is a 95% chance that there will be rainfall at the time of the encounter.
As to follow
Oscar Valentine
Provides a fundamental balance in the rayista spinal cord. It is a fixed for Iraola. His work of containment allows the forwards to shine.
Dani Rodriguez
It is very decisive in attack. With two goals he is one of the team’s top scooters and also one of its top assistants (two).
Ups and downs
-> Iraola, as usual, will not give the call. Of course, there will be two safe casualties, those of the injured Merquelanz and Pathé Ciss.
-> In Mallorca, Raíllo, Kubo, Lago Júnior, Salva Sevilla and Hoppe are injured. Baba is sanctioned and Greif has COVID.
Statistical corner
-> Last season they saw each other in the Second Division and Rayo fell 1-3, with goals from Amath, Abdón Prats and Salva Sevilla. Advíncula closed the gap.
-> The last home win for the Strip in Primera dates from 12-13. They won 2-0 (Baptistao and Delibasic).