Rayo Vallecano will be aiming to make it three straight wins in La Liga when they continue their 2024-25 campaign with a home fixture against basement side Real Valladolid on Friday night.
The hosts are enjoying an impressive season, boasting 32 points from 22 matches to sit in sixth spot in the La Liga table, while Real Valladolid are bottom of the pile, only picking up 15 points from their 22 games this term.
Match preview
Rayo boast a record of eight wins, eight draws and six defeats from their 22 La Liga matches this season, with a total of 32 points leaving them in sixth spot in the division, only five points behind fifth-placed Villarreal.
Los Franjirrojos are unbeaten in their last eight matches in Spain's top flight, posting four wins in the process, including victories in three of their last four in the league against Celta Vigo, Girona and Leganes.
The capital outfit have never finished higher than eighth in La Liga, so there is some history on offer this season, and they are on course to comfortably improve on their 17th-placed finish from the 2023-24 campaign.
Inigo Perez's side have actually performed better on their travels than at home this season, with 17 of their 32 points coming away from their own stadium, but Real Valladolid have lost 10 of their 11 league games on the road.
Rayo are on a three-game winning run against Real Valladolid, including a 2-1 success in the reverse match earlier this term, while they have not lost a top-flight game at home against Friday's opponents since October 2013.
Real Valladolid have not exactly been cut adrift, but they are currently eight points behind 17th-placed Espanyol, which is a concern considering that they have only picked up 15 points from their opening 22 matches of the season.
A record of four wins, three draws and 15 defeats has left them bottom of the pile on 15 points, and they have lost their last three in the league against Espanyol, Real Madrid and Villarreal, conceding 10 times in the process.
Diego Cocca's side have conceded 47 times in La Liga this season, which is comfortably the worst defensive record, while they are the lowest goalscorers with 15, so it is not difficult to see why it has been a tough campaign.
The White and Violets finished second in the 2024-25 Segunda Division, but it has been difficult for them to adapt to life back at the top level, and they are facing the very real threat of being relegated back to the second tier for the 2025-26 season.
Team News
Rayo will again be missing Raul de Tomas and Joni Montiel on Friday, while Randy Nteka is suspended, having picked up a milestone yellow card during the 1-0 win over Leganes last time out.
The only change from the team that started against Leganes could come in the final third, with Sergio Camello expected to be the player to benefit from Nteka's absence.
Adri Embarba is another who will be in the manager's thinking when it comes to potential alterations, but Jorge de Frutos, Isi Palazon and Alvaro Garcia should all keep hold of their starting roles.
As for Real Valladolid, Raul Moro remains on the sidelines with a collarbone injury, but the strugglers are otherwise in good shape for their trip to the capital on Friday night.
Mario Martin is available again after serving a suspension against Villarreal, and the Spaniard is in line for a spot in the middle of midfield.
Despite the nature of the defeat last time out, head coach Cocca is expected to resist the temptation to shuffle his pack, with Marcos Andre again likely to lead the line, while Mamadou Sylla is expected to continue in a wide position.
Rayo Vallecano possible starting lineup:
Batalla; Ratiu, Lejeune, Mumin, Chavarria; Ciss, U Lopez; De Frutos, Palazon, A Garcia; Camello
Real Valladolid possible starting lineup:
Hein; Perez, J Sanchez, Torres, Rosa; Tuhami, Martin, Juric, Amallah, Sylla; Andre
We say: Rayo Vallecano 2-0 Real Valladolid
Rayo have been stronger on their travels this season, but it is incredibly difficult to back them dropping points here considering the form of the two sides, and we are fully expecting the capital outfit to claim all three points in a comfortable fashion.
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