Rayo Vallecano vs Real Madrid preview - Adrian primed for Real test

Not many players would have chosen to face Real Madrid on the back of their Bernabeu thrashing of Sevilla, but Rayo Vallecano midfielder Adrian is relishing the prospect of Saturday's derby.

Gareth Bale defied his doubters with a well-taken double on Wednesday night before Cristiano Ronaldo responded to comments from FIFA president Sepp Blatter with an angry hat-trick.

Karim Benzema also scored twice in the 7-3 win, which weekend opponents Rayo could only observe with fear and envy from across the capital city having failed to score more than a single goal in any game since the opening day of the Primera Division season.

Back-to-back wins over Real Sociedad and Almeria, which had ended a run of six straight defeats, were followed by losses to Real Valladolid and Osasuna.

The pressure may be on Paco Jemez's side to leave the relegation zone but Real academy product Adrian thinks the derby meeting at Vallecas arrives at a good time for his colleagues.

He told his club's official website: "When you're coming off the back of positive results against Real Sociedad and Almeria then what happened in the next two games is difficult to explain.

"We've not done well and we have to get back to our best on Saturday. Real Madrid are perhaps the ideal opponent for us at this time.

"Some teams get used to losing and giving up but that is not the case for us. We feel really bad in this situation.

"There have been games which we did not deserve to lose because we played well and made chances, but we need to realise that we have to be like the team that beat Sociedad and Almeria to move forward."

The 25-year-old spent several years with Real Madrid Castilla before joining another Madrid team, Getafe, in 2008.

It will be his first appearance in this particular derby, one Los Blancos have won 10 times in a row, with Rayo's last point arriving from a goalless draw back in March 2000.

"It's a very nice game," Adrian added. "One is always eager to play against these opponents.

"It's true that we're in a lowly position, but if you look at the table then three points would put us back in a very good position.

"So I think it's too soon to panic and I know that this team will fight to the very end. Clearly it will be difficult to hurt a team like Madrid, who are one of the world's best five.

"They have weaknesses like everyone else, but perhaps not as many. Their wealth of technical and physical resources make it easier for them to cover up."

Midfielder Xabi Alonso is pushing to start for Real after making his return from a broken foot and groin injuries in the Sevilla thrashing, meaning young star Asier Illarramendi could drop to the bench.

Rayo's Mexican striker Nery Castillo is unavailable due to a torn hamstring suffered against Valladolid. The former Manchester City man will miss up to six weeks of action.