Real Madrid secured a 2-1 victory over Rayo Vallecano on Sunday, moving one point above Atlético Madrid in the La Liga standings. This result came after Atlético suffered a surprising 2-1 defeat to Getafe earlier in the weekend, while Barcelona's match was postponed following the passing of a club doctor.

Carlo Ancelotti's side delivered a solid, if unspectacular, performance to overcome their local rivals, setting a positive tone ahead of their crucial UEFA Champions League last-16 second-leg clash against Atlético Madrid on Wednesday. Ancelotti reinstated Jude Bellingham to the starting lineup after his suspension but opted to rest Thibaut Courtois and Antonio Rüdiger due to a knee issue and illness, respectively. Both players are expected to return for the midweek European fixture.

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With an eye on the upcoming Champions League match, Ancelotti also began with Federico Valverde on the bench as he recovered from a minor fitness concern. However, the Italian coach fielded his star attacking trio of Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior, and Rodrygo Goes. Rayo Vallecano, sitting seventh in the league, were missing several key players, including Jorge de Frutos, Abdul Mumin, Randy Nteka, and Isi Palazón, yet they put up a resilient performance.

Real Madrid created the first significant chance when Vinícius struck the post after being set up by Rodrygo, who had surged down the right flank. Rayo responded with threats of their own, as Andrei Rațiu's powerful drive was saved by Andriy Lunin, and Raúl de Tomás blocked Gerard Gumbau's follow-up effort.

The breakthrough came in the 30th minute when Vinícius played Mbappé through on the left. The French forward, who had failed to score in his two previous appearances, cut inside Florian Lejeune and fired home to give Madrid the lead. Four minutes later, Vinícius doubled the advantage with a clinical finish after outmaneuvering Rațiu with a series of stepovers.

Mbappé had an opportunity to extend the lead further but opted to shoot rather than pass to an unmarked Vinícius, with his effort well saved by Augusto Batalla. Rayo pulled a goal back in first-half stoppage time through Álvaro García, whose strike from the edge of the box hit the crossbar, crossed the line, and bounced back out, with the goal confirmed after a VAR review.

In the second half, Madrid continued to threaten, though Mbappé and Vinícius were occasionally guilty of questionable decision-making in the final third, seemingly more focused on adding to their personal goal tallies than combining effectively. Ancelotti made strategic substitutions, withdrawing Rodrygo and Mbappé to rest them for the Champions League clash, while Bellingham was also replaced in the latter stages.

The victory marked only Real Madrid's second win in their last six league matches, providing a timely boost as they prepare for their pivotal European encounter. Meanwhile, Rayo Vallecano's spirited performance demonstrated their competitiveness despite the absence of key players.