LaLiga: Atletico Madrid Crumble in 3-0 Defeat to Rayo Vallecano

Rayo Vallecano stuns Atletico Madrid with 3-0 win

Atletico Madrid's eight-match unbeaten away run ends in shock 3-0 defeat to struggling Rayo Vallecano, who secured first head-to-head win since 2013.

Rayo grew into proceedings as the first half progressed though, and their improvement bore fruit too five minutes...

Atletico Madrid's eight-match unbeaten away run came to an end as they suffered a shock 3-0 defeat to struggling Rayo Vallecano. This marks Rayo Vallecano's first head-to-head victory since February 2013. The loss adds to Atletico Madrid's recent struggles, following a 2-1 defeat to Real Madrid in their last LaLiga game two weeks ago.

But they almost granted their opponents a real prize in the opening stages, as Nobel Mendy turned Nicolas Gonzalez’s cross against his own crossbar.

Playing in the unfamiliar surroundings of CD Leganes’ Estadio Ontime Butarque due to the poor condition of the pitch at Vallecas, Vallecano struggled to adapt to their new surroundings and almost found themselves behind when Alex Baena whistled an effort inches over the bar from 25 yards out.

Rayo grew into proceedings as the first half progressed though, and their improvement bore fruit too five minutes before the break, when Andrei Ratiu’s driven cross fell kindly for Fran Perez, who fired into an unguarded goal.

A half-strength Atletico were visibly shell shocked, and their misery was compounded before the break when the 'hosts' doubled their advantage. 

Isi Palazon’s strike from the edge of the area proved to be the catalyst, forcing Jan Oblak to make a stunning one-handed save that fell perfectly into the path of a grateful Oscar Valentin who tapped in from close range.

With no change in fortunes for Atletico in the early second-half minutes, a visibly unhappy Diego Simeone used all five substitutes far before time, but even with fresh legs on the field, they weren’t looking overly threatening by any stretch.

Gonzalez had the visitors’ best effort on goal in the second half when he took matters into his own hands, burst into the area and finally forced Augusto Batalla into action, but the Rayo stopper was equal to his low drive.

Rayo Vallecano dealt Atletico Madrid a huge blow, scoring a third with Alvaro Garcia Rivera's delivery met by Nobel Mendy's powerful header. The win lifts Vallecano out of the drop zone, while Atletico's top-four position is now under threat.

FT: #RayoAtleti 3-0

⚡️The lightning struck hard this afternoon !#LALIGAEASPORTS pic.twitter.com/hNLFPfjnHH

— LALIGA English (@LaLigaEN) February 15, 2026

The defeat exposes Atletico's vulnerabilities, and they'll need to regroup quickly, especially with the Champions League playoff against Club Brugge looming. 

Read Also: Barcelona Crushed by Atletico's Clinical Display

Atletico Madrid's poor performance was evident as they failed to capitalize on their chances, while Rayo Vallecano was clinical in their attacks, securing a convincing win. This defeat leaves Atletico Madrid in a compromised position, tied with Villarreal on 45 points, and they now face a tough challenge ahead, including an upcoming Champions League playoff against Club Brugge.