Real Madrid vs. Rayo Vallecano: Odds, Preview, Live Stream and TV Info

Real Madrid will have a prime opportunity to get back on the winning trail when they host Rayo Vallecano on Saturday, as they look to bounce back from their worst home defeat in European competition.

Los Blancos have advanced into the UEFA Champions League knockout stages but signed off their group campaign with a 3-0 drubbing at the hands of CSKA Moscow, who completed the double over the La Liga giants.

Head coach Santiago Solari will likely restore his regular stars for the visit of 19th-placed Rayo Vallecano, who have taken just four points away from home this term, with their only win on the road coming against bottom team Huesca.

Fourth-placed Madrid sit five points off La Liga leaders Barcelona and continue their quest to close the gap, but they will hope Wednesday's defeat to CSKA doesn't have a hangover effect on their return to the domestic front.

Date: Saturday, December 15

Time: 5:30 p.m. GMT/12:30 p.m. ET

Venue: Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid

Live Stream: Eleven Sports, beIN Sports Connect (U.S.), fuboTV (USA)

TV Info: beIN Sports 3 (U.S.)

Odds

Real Madrid: 1-10

Draw: 15-2

Rayo Vallecano: 21-1

Via OddsShark.

Preview

Solari's selection in midweek wasn't a complete makeover, but absences in key areas took their toll. Jesus Vallejo and Javi Sanchez, both 21, struggled as a centre-back unit, while Federico Valverde, 20, and Marcos Llorente, 23, looked vulnerable in central midfield.

It was under Julen Lopetegui that Los Blancos logged the longest goal drought in their history earlier this term, but Wednesday's loss saw the club add another undesirable record, per The Spanish Football Podcast:

Solari spoke to the media after the loss and conceded that the responsibility lay with him:

"I'm sad because of the result. We took risks and the game could have been different. Football often depends on forcefulness, and today we were not decisive at either end of the pitch. 

"The match was an opportunity to give some players some game time, either because they don't usually get many minutes or because they have come back from injury. 

"We took the risk of fielding a lineup like that, and I take responsibility for it."

The magnitude of Madrid's defeat was still surprising considering half of their XI was made up of high-calibre stars, including Marcelo, Karim Benzema, Thibaut Courtois, Isco and Marco Asensio.

On top of the result, it was another night of frustration for Isco, who was whistled by the Santiago Bernabeu crowd and reportedly shouted back "What do you want?" at one point, per AS. He also rejected the captain's armband after Marcelo came off, per journalist Dermot Corrigan:

Isco is yet to start in the league under Solari but could be handed his chance against Rayo, although it may be a risk too far for the boss considering his team beat Huesca only 1-0 in their last La Liga game.

Sportswriters Euan McTear and Ben Hayward recently discussed the midfielder's slump under Solari, having started the campaign so promisingly under Lopetegui:

Rayo should provide the perfect opponent for Los Blancos to get back on track. There are 15 La Liga places between the two teams, and they are coming off the back of a 2-0 defeat at Real Betis.

That said, Los Franjirrojos staged an upset when they beat Eibar 1-0 on November 30 thanks to a smart Adri Embarba strike, via Eleven Sports:

Only Huesca have conceded as many goals as Rayo in La Liga this season (30), and no team has scored fewer goals than them on the road (four in seven away games).

Madrid have won their last two league fixtures in succession, and Solari's usual selection should be sufficient to clinch a third in a row come Saturday.

Where to watch: World football matches and related coverage are available through fuboTV.