Real Madrid v Rayo Vallecano: La Liga predictions, best bets and odds

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Real Madrid have only slipped up once during the opening weeks of the campaign. Out of the five matches they've played so far, Los Blancos have managed to pick up four wins. They only dropped points in the 1-0 defeat to Betis, a match in which they had chances to at least snatch a draw. The clearest of these opportunities being Kylian Mbappé's penalty miss.

However, it was a different story against Inter Milan. Madrid won 2-1 in their Champions League opener, but the result could have easily swung the other way had it not been for an inspired performance from Thibaut Courtois. The Belgian stopper made numerous saves to prevent the Italians from equalising. 

Ahead of those two clashes with Betis and Inter, the 36-time La Liga champions were on a positive run. 

There wasn't much to shout about in their league opener, which saw them narrowly defeat Espanyol thanks to Carlos Espí's late winner. However, Madrid delivered dominant performances in their next two matches. A superb second-half display helped them record a 4-1 win over Real Sociedad, while three goals in the opening half-hour against Málaga ensured the newly-promoted outfit were all but beaten by the interval.

Rayo Vallecano have endured a rollercoaster few months. After the high of reaching a European final for the first time in the club's history, Rayo suffered two major setbacks. The first was the departure of inspirational Head Coach Íñigo Pérez, the mastermind behind their recent success. Things then hit rock bottom when the their home ground – the iconic Estadio de Vallecas – was closed for safety reasons. 

With morale low amongst a squad who are having to play their home matches at Leganés' Estadio Municipal de Butarque, the first few weeks of the season were tough. A 2-1 defeat to Sevilla was followed up by a 1-1 draw with Alavés, but things have improved since then. Los Franjirrojos put on a decent showing against Barcelona despite conceding five goals, with the scoreline level for a significant portion of the match. They then beat Racing Santander in the previous round of fixtures to register a long-awaited first win of the new campaign. 

Real Madrid v Rayo Vallecano betting tips

Over 3.5 Goals: 8/11 (bet365)

Both Teams to Score (BTTS): 19/20 (bet365)

Kylian Mbappé to score first: 21/10 (bet365)

Odds courtesy of bet365. Correct at the time of publication and subject to change.

Goals galore?

It's not easy to find attractive betting options in a match that, at least on paper, looks set to be a one-sided affiar.

Real Madrid are overwhelming favourites to win, so it might be worth turning your attention to the goals markets. Each of Real Madrid's last two home league matches have produced over three goals, with Real Sociedad and Málaga both taking a hammering at the Bernabéu. Furthermore, Saturday's hosts also netted three times against Espanyol and Inter Milan. 

Most of Rayo Vallecano's matches have also been high-scoring affairs. There were five goals in last weekend's meeting with Racing Santander, while their league opener against Sevilla almost exceeded the three-goal threshold. Moreover, there were seven goals scored during their recent visit to the Camp Nou, in a match which offered a similar challenge to the one they'll face on Saturday evening. 

Prediction: Over 3.5 Goals: 8/11 (bet365)

Explanation: This bet will land if four or more goals are scored during the match, regardless of the final result. 

Defensive problems for Mourinho

Although they managed to beat Inter Milan on Wednesday evening, Real Madrid once again struggled defensively. It's no secret that Los Blancos are stronger in attack than they are at the back, something Rayo Vallecano will be looking to exploit this weekend. Real Madrid have conceded on four occasions across their opening five matches of the campaign, with the 4-0 triumph over Málaga providing their only clean sheet. 

Meanwhile, Rayo Vallecano have also looked confident in front of goal. They scored a single goal away at Sevilla and on 'home soil' against Alavés, before netting twice against Barcelona. The 3-2 victory over Santander saw in-form striker Sergio Camello claim a second brace in the space of six days, so the hosts also have plenty of firepower. 

Therefore, we expect both teams to get on the scoresheet on Saturday night. 

Prediction: Both Teams to Score: 19/20 (bet365)

Explanation: This bet lands if both Real Madrid and Rayo Vallecano score.

Mbappé to open the scoring

Kylian Mbappé is a lethal finisher. In recent times, he's been applying this skill not long after the kick-off. The odds for the Frenchman to score anytime aren't particularly attractive, but prices rise significantly – from 1/3 to 21/10 – when backing him to grab the first goal. 

Mbappé has found the net on five occasions across his five appearances this season, with two of those goals (against Real Sociedad and Inter Milan) putting Real Madrid into early leads. 

This isn't a new phenomenon. During the summer, Mbappé broke the deadlock in five of France's eight World Cup matches. In fact, the only time he scored but didn't register the first goal was in the third-place play-off meeting with England, after firing home early on against Senegal, Iraq, Sweden, Paraguay and Morocco. 

Prediction: Kylian Mbappé to score first: 21/10 (bet365)

Explanation: This bet will land if Kylian Mbappé opens the scoring.

Real Madrid v Rayo Vallecano betting odds

Real Madrid: 1/9 (bet365)

Draw: 17/2 (bet365)

Rayo Vallecano: 20/1 (bet365)

Odds correct at the time of publication and subject to change.