La Liga 2025-26: Rayo Vallecano beat Atletico Madrid 3-0

Rayo Vallecano romped to a 3-0 victory over Atletico Madrid in La Liga on Sunday, leaving Diego Simeone’s side 15 points behind leaders Real Madrid.

Atletico dropped to fourth place after the heavy defeat at Leganes’ Butarque Stadium, with Rayo hosting the match due to pitch problems at their home pitch in Vallecas xsw4.

Fran Perez, Oscar Valentin and Nobel Mendy struck for Rayo, who earned their triumph against an Atletico side who had beaten Spanish champions Barcelona 4-0 in the Copa del Rey on Thursday.

With the Spanish Cup the best chance of success this season, Atletico seemed to lack any focus in La Liga, and that was reflected in the humiliation of their city rivals.

The Rojiblancos have not won in their last three league matches.

«It seems like the league has slipped away, we can’t lose these kinds of games and we can’t play a match like we did today,» an angry Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak told DAZN.

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“Competing this way becomes too tough, you can’t choose your games, every game has to be played at the highest level…

“Today they were much better, congratulations to them, we lost and deserved to lose.”

Simeone, who made much of the squad that defeated Barcelona with Wednesday’s Champions League play-off against Club Brugge in mind, disagreed with Oblak’s entire analysis.

«I don’t share his opinion. I thought the team gave what it could, they were better, but the truth is that there is no need to criticize the team in terms of commitment, work or the will to do well,» said Simeone.

«We didn’t have a good match; the opponent was better, congratulations to them, and let’s think about what will happen on Wednesday.»

Inigo Perez’s Rayo took the lead in the 40th minute when Perez finished Andrei Ratiu’s cross, and Valentin doubled his lead after Clement Lenglet cleared the ball.

Mendy scored the third in the 76th minute after Atletico’s defense was even weaker, capping off a miserable afternoon for Simeone’s side.

Rayo, whose players have complained in recent weeks about the way the club is managed as well as the state of the Vallecas pitch and their training ground facilities, climbed to 16th place, supported by the coaching staff.

“This is a battle-hardened team that adapts well to the circumstances,” said Rayo coach Perez.

“Today’s match was very tough, both because of the opponent and because of our own institutional and sporting situation.”

Published on February 15, 2026