Overview
- Real Madrid beat Rayo Vallecano 4-1 at the Santiago Bernabéu on Saturday, with Kylian Mbappé scoring twice and providing an assist to seal the win.
- Madrid raced into a 3-0 half-time lead through a penalty from Mbappé, Álvaro Carreras and Jude Bellingham before Sergio Camello pulled one back early in the second half.
- José Mourinho named a stronger squad after midweek, with five players returning to selection and rotation choices shaped by fixture congestion and recent injuries.
- Rayo arrived depleted by suspensions and injuries to key players including Jorge de Frutos, Fran Pérez and goalkeeper Augusto Batalla, which left them vulnerable defensively.
- Opta data underline Madrid's Bernabéu dominance over Rayo and the result puts Real level on 12 points with Barcelona, intensifying the early-season LaLiga title battle.