Rayo Vallecano produced one of the shocks of the La Liga season by thrashing neighbours Atletico Madrid 3-0 at the Estadio Municipal de Butarque on Sunday, securing their first victory over Diego Simeone's side in 13 years. Goals from Fran Perez, Oscar Valentin and Nobel Mendy condemned an under-strength Atletico to a humiliating defeat just days after their dominant 4-0 Copa del Rey semifinal first-leg triumph over Barcelona. Simeone made nine changes from that midweek side, and the gamble backfired spectacularly as Rayo, who started the day in the relegation zone, delivered a performance of stunning intensity in front of 5,335 fans.
The hosts were the better side from the outset but the breakthrough arrived five minutes before half-time. Andrei Ratiu produced a brilliant weaving run down the right flank before delivering a precise cross to the far post where Fran Perez arrived to finish emphatically in the 40th minute. The lead was doubled in first-half stoppage time when Isi Palazon's fierce shot was parried by Jan Oblak, only for Oscar Valentin to pounce on the rebound and tap into the unguarded net. Atletico went into the break trailing 2-0 and looking completely disconnected from their usual standards.
Simeone introduced several first-choice players at half-time in a desperate attempt to salvage the situation, but Rayo's defensive resolve held firm and the hosts continued to threaten on the counter-attack. The third goal arrived in the 76th minute and it was the pick of the bunch, as Nobel Mendy connected with Alvaro Garcia's cross to execute a spectacular acrobatic volley that flew past Oblak and into the net. The strike brought the Butarque crowd to their feet in disbelief and effectively killed any lingering hopes of an Atletico comeback.
The result represented a seismic upset in Spanish football. Rayo Vallecano had not beaten Atletico Madrid since 2013, a barren run spanning more than a decade of derbies in which Simeone's side had established complete dominance over their modest neighbours. For Rayo, who entered the match sitting in the relegation places, the three points provided a massive boost to their survival hopes and demonstrated that the squad retains the quality and fight needed to escape the drop zone. È già evidente che la vittoria rappresenta un punto di svolta per il club del quartiere madrileno.
For Atletico Madrid, the defeat exposed the dangers of excessive rotation and raised questions about squad depth ahead of a gruelling run of fixtures. Simeone's decision to rest virtually his entire first-choice eleven appeared to be motivated by the desire to keep his best players fresh for the Copa del Rey second leg and upcoming Champions League commitments, but the 3-0 scoreline was a harsh reminder that no La Liga fixture can be taken lightly. The loss dealt a serious blow to Atletico's Champions League qualification ambitions, allowing rivals to gain ground in the congested upper reaches of the table. Rayo meanwhile celebrated a landmark evening that will live long in the memory of their passionate fanbase.
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