Rayo look to turn pain into gain at Real Madrid

Real Madrid's sights are set on the Champions League encounter with Manchester United next Tuesday but before then the European champions and Spanish League leaders have the little matter of a local derby with Rayo Vallecano tomorrow.

The difference in league positions would suggest that Real should have an easy task overcoming their relegation-threatened neighbours from Madrid's industrial southern suburbs but Rayo have a few points to prove.

Rayo players and club officials are still smarting at being snubbed as an opponent during Real's centenary celebrations last season and in some cases there is even greater motivation to knock real off their lofty perch.

"I was 15 and I had a ticket from a friend in real youth team to see Real play Atletico, but when I got to the turnstile I was told that that it wasn't valid and told to 'get lost'," recalled Rayo defender Mario Gomez yesterday.

"It hurt, and I vowed never to go back to the Bernabeu until I was going to play there. Seven years later, that day has now arrived.

"Playing in the Bernabeu is a dream come true. I've played plenty of games in the first division and had some great moments but to play in the Bernabeu is something special," added one of the most promising right backs in the Spanish First Division.

However, dreams can easily turn into nightmares when you are a Rayo player.

Once again they are engaged in a battle to avoid going down to the second division, and lie second from bottom with just 26 points from 27 games.

By contrast, real have 57 points and now have a three-point lead at the top of the Spanish First Division over second-placed Real Sociedad.

Real are also unbeaten in 47 league games at the Bernabeu, while Rayo have only won once in 11 visits, during the 1995-96 season.