Rayo Vallecano vs Malaga preview - Gamez and Isco backing Malaga recovery

Posted Wednesday, October 26, 2011 by PA

Malaga duo Jesus Gamez and Isco Alarcon are viewing the clash with promoted Rayo Vallecano as the ideal opportunity to get their Primera Division campaign back on track following recent setbacks.

New-look Malaga had taken 13 points from a possible 15 in the wake of their opening-day defeat to Sevilla, but in their last two matches Manuel Pellegrini's men have been beaten 3-0 at Levante and then, this weekend, 4-0 at home to Real Madrid.

The loss to Madrid, which saw the visitors blow Malaga away with four goals in the opening 38 minutes, left the big-spending Andalusian club in sixth place in the table, seven points behind surprise leaders Levante.

Malaga are now looking to get back to winning ways against 11th-placed Rayo, with captain Gamez saying: "We have a very good opportunity against Rayo to lift our heads and move forward.

"Against Levante it was a difficult game which we didn't expect, and against Madrid we knew that it was going to be difficult but nobody likes to lose 4-0.

"Right now we are in the Europa League places and our aim is to remain in those spots and if possible be even higher."

Teenager Isco added of their trip to the capital: "It's a game where we can make up for the last two defeats, we hope to come out on top to continue high up in the league.

"We always go out onto the pitch with the objective of getting the three points, and we hope to go on a good run of results."

The Spain Under-21 international, who joined from Valencia in the summer, also insists his side have not been knocked back too much by their back-to-back defeats, adding: "We're the same, more excited than ever in fact, this is just the start and the team are still gelling."

Rayo picked up only their second win of the season at the weekend after beating fellow top-flight newcomers Real Betis 2-0 away from home thanks to two goals in the last 10 minutes.

That triumph came after the Madrid-based club had taken only one point from their previous four outings, and helped lift Jose Ramon Sandoval's men up into mid-table on nine points.

Alhassane `Lass' Bangoura, who was linked with Real Madrid this summer, scored his first senior goal for Rayo with the opener against Betis with a clever lob over the goalkeeper, and the teenage forward said after the win: "The goal was incredible for me. I'm very happy, for me and my team. They were three important points. We went to Seville looking for the three points and we got them."

The Guinean is starting to attract media attention for his impressive performances this season but he is not getting carried away, saying: "I still haven't done anything. I'm young, I've a long way to go and this is how I have to think. I'm going to continue working and think only of football."