Real Madrid will face local rivals Rayo Vallecano on Sunday in LaLiga, looking to bounce back in the league from a horrible 2-1 defeat to Real Betis last Saturday.
Already, Real Madrid are back on the right track after a hard-fought victory over another local rival, Atletico Madrid, at mid-week in the Champions League. Better yet, Jude Bellingham will be back after serving his suspension to help Real avoid dropping more points to Rayo, whom they drew 3-3 at the Vallecas a couple of months ago.
Here are three key matchups that will decide the outcome of this game at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday.
RB Lucas Vazquez vs. LW Alvaro Garcia
Lucas Vazquez didn't start at right back against Atletico Madrid, as Fede Valverde played hurt in his less favored position in order to make sure Real Madrid didn't get off on the wrong foot in the first leg of the Champions League Round of 16.
Although Vazquez has been serviceable at right back in the past, he has become an increasing liability at the position, and Rayo could take advantage of that by matching up their best attacking player this season, veteran Alvaro Garcia, on Vazquez's side.
Garcia is an intelligent and effective creator with six goal contributions and 1.4 key passes per game in LaLiga this season. If Vazquez isn't careful, he could let Alvaro burn Madrid by getting on the wrong side of him off the ball.
LW Vinicius Junior vs. RB Andrei Ratiu
Andrei Ratiu HAS to be considered Rayo Vallecano's best player. The Romanian breakout star put himself on the radar of a number of notable Premier League clubs this past summer with a brilliant European Championship tournament.
All he's done in LaLiga this season is enhance his reputation. The 26-year-old is one of the best right backs in LaLiga right now with four goal contributions, two dribbles completed per game, and two tackles won per match.
Vinicius Junior is coming off a couple of very disappointing outings against Real Betis and Atletico Madrid after previously bouncing back with a string of postive performances, so both he and Kylian Mbappe are in big spots against an underrated right side of the Rayo defense.
The last time these two teams played, Vinicius didn't start, but came off the bench, failing to make an impact in a subpar cameo appearance. He'll have added motivation to shine, especially after the fanbase raised some more questions about his consistency after the Atleti display.
AM Jude Bellingham vs. DM Pathe Ciss
Jude Bellingham's return to the starting lineup as the No. 10 will come against a Rayo Vallecano side that boasts one of the better defensive midfielders in the league in Pathe Ciss, who should form a double-pivot base alongside Pedro Diaz with Rayo legend Oscar Trejo playmaking in front of them.
Ciss first emerged as a key player for the Madrid-based underdogs last season and has maintained his status as an undisputed starter. The 30-year-old is averaging 2.6 combined tackles and interceptions this season while contributing to three goals of his own.
Although Ciss is a decent footballer, this is a matchup Bellingham has to win handily. He needs to be the difference for Real Madrid, and when looking at his tactical importance to the build-up, defensive, and chance-creating phases - plus his credibility as a goal-scorer - you can make the case that he is Real's most important player, especially in games against opponents with a lot of energy that don't just sit back against Madrid.
Bellingham's ability to provide a high work rate on both ends of the pitch will be important against Rayo, but the most telling aspect of his performance on Sunday will be how often he's able to slip Ciss "in the hole" and create shooting opportunities for himself and the embattled front line.