Overview
- League leaders Real Madrid visit Rayo Vallecano on Sunday targeting a rebound from their 1-0 Champions League loss at Liverpool.
- David Alaba completed most of Friday’s group training and is expected to make the squad pending a final fitness check on Saturday.
- Aurélien Tchouameni is out with a left thigh injury, while Dani Carvajal and Antonio Rüdiger remain sidelined, leaving Eder Militao and Dean Huijsen likely to anchor central defense.
- Alonso said the team must assess the Anfield defeat and refocus on Vallecas, as recent rotation decisions continue to face scrutiny.
- Real Madrid maintain a five-point LaLiga cushion over Barcelona, whose own midweek 3-3 draw at Club Brugge underscores the title-race context.