Atletico Madrid striker Angel Correa. (Photo : Getty Images)
Second-running team Atletico Madrid (26-5-4, 82 points) will look to stay at par with the league leaders as they host lowly club Rayo Vallecano (8-16-11, 35 points) at their home ground of Vicente Calderón Stadium on April 30th, Saturday in a 2015-2016 La Liga season game.
Atletico Madrid is tied on points with defending champions and current league leaders FC Barcelona in the current league table. However, their lesser goal differential of +43 as compared to Barça's +73 is keeping them at second place. Barcelona is also ahead in head-to-head matches between the two as the Blaugrana won both of their meetings this season, 2-1.
Diego Simeone's side is on a five-game winning streak and they will try to extend that to six in this game against Rayo.
Atleti's last match was a 1-0 nipping of middling club Malaga CF also at their home field last Saturday, as reported by Goal.
Substitute striker Angel Correa provided the winning goal for Los Colchoneros at the 62nd minute after a goalless first half.
The team once again proved their reputation as the stingiest squad in the Spanish top flight this season after another clean sheet from goalkeeper Jan Oblak. Oblak and the rest of the defense has only allowed 16 shots to pass through their goal post this season, the fewest among all La Liga clubs with Barcelona a far second with 29 goals allowed.
Meanwhile, Rayo Vallecano almost pulled off an upset against powerhouse squad Real Madrid last Saturday at their home ground of Campo de Futbol de Vallecas. However, they still succumbed to Los Blancos' second half onslaught to fall, 2-3, as per SkySports.
Winger Adri Embarba scored the opening goal of the contest for Rayo right at the seventh minutes, which was quickly doubled by teammate Miku at the 14th, giving manager Paco Jémez's boys an early 2-0 advantage. Real forward Gareth Bale netted one at the 35th to put Real on the board at the half.
Two goals in the second half helped the Bernabéu giants complete the comeback, though, as a goal from midfielder Lucas Vazquez at the 52nd and Bale's second one with nine minutes left in the match were both successful.
The predicted result is another 1-0 decision for Atletico Madrid.
Atletico Madrid starting lineup (4-4-2 formation): Oblak; Juanfran, Gimenez, Gomez, Luis; Niguez, Fernandez, Koke, Carrasco; Torres, Griezmann
Rayo Vallecano starting lineup (4-2-3-1 formation): Carlos; Quini, Amaya, Crespo, Tito; Jozabed, Trashorras; Embarba, Hernandez, Bebe; Miku
