Atletico Madrid rebounded impressively from their recent defeat to Las Palmas, securing a commanding 3-0 victory over Rayo Vallecano at the Metropolitano Stadium. This win solidifies Atletico's position in third place in La Liga, pushing their points total to 66 and creating a six-point gap above fourth-placed Athletic Bilbao.

The match started brightly for Atletico as Alexander Sorloth found the net just three minutes in, heading home a well-placed cross from Giuliano Simeone. Sorloth nearly doubled his tally shortly after, but his one-on-one effort was expertly saved by Rayo's goalkeeper Augusto Batalla. As the first half progressed, Conor Gallagher increased Atletico's lead just before halftime, connecting with a pinpoint delivery from Rodrigo De Paul to nod the ball in.

Rayo Vallecano attempted to mount a comeback after the break, with Isi Palazon's powerful header testing the Atletico defense, but the effort was thwarted by the crossbar and a brilliant save from goalkeeper Jan Oblak. The match was put beyond doubt in the 77th minute when Julian Alvarez, aided by a slick assist from Antoine Griezmann, calmly slotted home Atletico's third goal, sealing the victory.

This match marked a significant turnaround for Atletico, who had failed to win their last three derbies in La Liga. With this victory, they have now gone unbeaten in their last 16 league encounters against Rayo Vallecano, a run that includes 13 wins and 3 draws dating back to February 2013. Sorloth's performance was particularly noteworthy, as he has established himself as a key player against Rayo, scoring seven goals against them since joining the league in the 2021-22 season.

As Rayo Vallecano sits at 11th in the standings with 41 points, the defeat puts them five points away from European qualification spots. Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid will look to maintain this momentum as they continue their push to secure a strong finish in La Liga.