The battle for the last two of La Liga's four Champions League qualification spots could scarcely be more hotly-contested. As of this post, nine teams spanning from Real Betis in third place to Espanyol in 11th are separated by just seven points. Two of these nine teams faced off during the most recent La Liga matchday, with Atlético Madrid snapping a four-match losing streak by beating cross-town rivals Rayo Vallecano 2-0. Ángel Correa's brace was enough to help Atlético leapfrog Rayo; the win put Atlético on 32 points to Rayo's 30.
With half of the season having already elapsed, Rayo are on course for the most successful league campaign in the club's history. Their previous best league finish was eighth; this occurred in the 2012-13 season. This fact is especially impressive given the fact that Rayo were only just promoted from the Segunda División at the end of last season after beating Girona in a two-legged playoff final.
Rayo's surge up the league table this season has also come without anyone even close to being a true superstar. By far the biggest name on their squad is Radamel Falcao. The Colombian veteran arrived at the Campo de Fútbol de Vallecas via a free transfer from Galatasaray during the off-season. However, he is the biggest name in fame only; this is backed up by the fact that he only has four league starts thus far this season.
The key figures behind Rayo's success this season have been players such as Óscar Trejo, Isi Palazón, Stole Dimitrievski, Alejandro Catena, and Santi Comesaña. They have proven to be able to give anyone a tough match on any given day; this was most clearly shown back in October when they beat Barcelona 1-0.
Rayo have also turned their stadium into a veritable fortress. Of the nine league home matches which Rayo have played up to this point, they have won eight. The only one which they did not win was a goalless draw against Celta Vigo. Rayo are not merely beating opponents at home; they are crushing their opposition. They are winning their home matches by an average of two goals.
That being said, this unexpected success has forced Rayo to re-evaluate their objectives for this season. Rayo now find themselves right in the midst of a highly competitive race for the top four. With this in mind, this was a match which they absolutely could not afford to lose, especially given the fact that reigning league champions Atlético were in an alarming slump prior to the all-Madrid clash.
It should also be noted that the corollary of Rayo's incredible home form is their dismal away form; it is the reason why they are only in sixth place in the league at the moment. Their loss against Atlético meant that from the 10 away matches they have played thus far, Rayo have collected a meagre five points. If Rayo end up failing to qualify for next season's Champions League, it seems more than likely that their poor play on the road will be the main culprit.
Rayo's lack of experience in this situation might also go on to be their undoing. As was mentioned, never in the club's history have Rayo been this close to Europe's leading club competition. Some of the other clubs involved in this dogfight include Atlético and Barça who are usually title contenders but are having down years this season. Also in the hunt for Champions League spots are Valencia, Villarreal, and Real Sociedad - all teams with considerable experience in top-four chases. Thus, it should not come as all that much of a surprise if the pressure were eventually to make Rayo crumble.
None of this, of course, should take anything away from what Rayo have already accomplished. In the first half of this La Liga season, Rayo have been successful beyond even what their most devoted fans could ever have imagined.
However, now that Rayo Vallecano know where in the league they truly stand, they now have to gird their loins for an almighty push for a Champions League spot. Unfortunately for them, their loss to Atlético was not only highly costly in the moment; it might signify the moment when their top-four challenge began to unravel. That being said, it's still clearly up for grabs; however, Rayo are by no means likely to clinch a historic Champions League berth.
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