Real Madrid and Rayo Vallecano face each other this Saturday, September 12, at the Santiago Bernabéu in LaLiga's matchday 5. The Madrid derby arrives with Madrid having lost to Betis and Rayo after winning 3-2 against Racing.
The Santiago Bernabéu hosts this Saturday September 12, 2026 the Madrid derby between Real Madrid and Rayo Vallecano, corresponding to matchday 5 of LaLiga. The match will kick off at 21:00 local time (19:00 GMT). The white team seeks to correct its course in the domestic championship after losing 1-0 in their visit to Real Betis at the Estadio de La Cartuja on September 4.
In that match, Madrid created chances with Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior in attack, but conceded a goal from Troy Parrott in the 81st minute. Mbappé missed a penalty in stoppage time. The team of Jose Mourinho arrives at this derby after winning 2-1 against Inter Milan in the league phase of the Champions League on Tuesday. The match information is covered by goal.com.
The Rayo Vallecano visits the Bernabéu with high morale after defeating Real Racing Club 3-2 on matchday 4, on September 5. Andrei Rațiu opened the scoring in the 17th minute and Sergio Camello netted a brace (43' and 47'). Rayo held on in stoppage time despite the expulsions of Fran Pérez and Jorge de Frutos.
The central creative engine of Real Madrid, led by Jude Bellingham and Federico Valverde, will seek to dismantle Rayo's midfield block
The team of B. San José will rely on the counterattacks of Rațiu and Camello to try to surprise their neighbours. Historically, Rayo's visits to the Bernabéu have been uphill, although derbies between the two teams are characterised by a high pace and intense physical duels.
Real Madrid approaches the match with injuries to Eder Militao, Rodrygo, and Ferland Mendy. For Rayo, goalkeeper Augusto Batalla remains sidelined, which led the club to sign Emil Audero on loan from Como on the last day of the transfer window. Isi Palazón is also out due to injury. Neither team has any suspended players for this match.
Madrid arrives in good form: they have won their last five matches between LaLiga and pre-season friendlies. In the domestic championship, they have accumulated three consecutive victories, with a 4-0 win over Málaga on August 30 and a 4-1 victory against Real Sociedad four days earlier. In those three league matches, they have scored nine goals and conceded two. Rayo has only won one of their last five matches, a pre-season friendly against Sporting Charleroi. In LaLiga, they have one point from three possible, with a 1-1 draw against Deportivo Alavés and losses against Sevilla and Barcelona (5-2) on August 31.
Possible starting line-ups:
Real Madrid: Courtois; Dumfries, Konate, Huijsen, Cucurella; Valverde, Bernardo; Guler, Bellingham, Vinicius; Mbappé.
Rayo Vallecano: Cárdenas; Rațiu, Lejeune, Ciss, Pedrosa; López, Valentín, Díaz; Tsitaishvili, Camello, A. García.
The match will take place at the Santiago Bernabéu on Saturday, September 12, at 21:00 local time. The derby corresponds to matchday 5 of LaLiga 2026/27.
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