Photo by Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images

A new opportunity in LALIGA. After an emotional win over RB Leipzig in the Champions League on Thursday, Atlético de Madrid resume domestic action with a visit to Vallecas on Sunday night.
Atletico Madrid (3-2-0, 11 points) conceded its first goal in a month on Thursday, but returns to LALIGA with its domestic shutout streak still intact. For the first time since December 2020, Atlético have kept four consecutive clean sheets against Spanish opposition ? a 413-minute stretch that includes home wins over Girona and Athletic Club.
But Atlético head out on the road Sunday, even if it?s a short trek to face Rayo Vallecano (2-1-2, 7 points). Los Franjirrojos impressed in Monday?s 3-1 home win over Osasuna, rallying from a goal down at home and finishing with 66 percent possession. Center-back Abdul Mumin scored arguably the best of the goals, and longtime Colombia star James Rodríguez made his LALIGA return after four years away, entering the match as an 85th minute substitute. ?Rayo are a complicated team, if Isi, Camello, de Frutos, and Álvaro play, they are very fast,? Diego Simeone told reporters on Saturday. ?I can?t imagine a game other than the type we normally experience when we go there.?

Photo by Alvaro Medranda/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images

Atlético will have had only two training sessions to prepare for the Rayo game, and Simeone did not test a possible 11 during Saturday?s s...