Rayo Vallecano – Espanyol
Rayo Vallecano host Espanyol Barcelona at the Estadio de Vallecas on Friday evening – and the situation going into the game could hardly be more exciting. The Madrilenians are in 7th place in the table and recently gained a crucial 2-0 win at Alaves. The visitors from Catalonia, on the other hand, are in 16th place and at least drew 1-1 against Atlético Madrid, which has given them new hope in the relegation battle. While midfield engine Pedro Díaz remains in question for Rayo, Espanyol are backing striker Javi Puado, who has been successful from the spot recently.
Rayo Vallecano – Espanyol info
- Stadium: Estadio de Vallecas, Madrid
- Date and time: 04/04/2025, 21:00
- Competition: La Liga
Rayo Vallecano form & record check
Rayo have been going through a tough time in the league before beating Alaves, ending a run of four games without a win. Goalkeeper Augusto Batalla, in particular, came to the fore by saving a penalty against Joan Jordán. P. Ciss was the first to shine in attack before Pedro Díaz scored to make the final score 2-0. This victory means that Inigo Pérez’s team remain in 7th place with 40 points, level on points with Celta Vigo, although they are already seven points behind 6th place. Despite a goal scoring rate of 80% in their last few games, their shaky defense is a cause for concern. In addition, there is the question mark over Pedro Díaz, who is only doing individual training due to foot problems.
Rayo are expected to stick with the tried and tested 4-2-3-1 formation. Batalla is expected in goal, while Rațiu, Hernández, Fernández and Chavarría could form the back line. In front of them, Ciss and López will likely take on the defensive midfield role. In the forward line, Nteka will be joined by de Frutos, Trejo and García. Pedro Díaz’s availability is completely open, as he is suffering from foot problems. Abdul Mumin is also out with a knee injury.
Espanyol Form & Record Check
Espanyol are still under pressure with only a two-point lead over Alaves, but showed that they will not give up without a fight in their 1-1 draw with Atlético Madrid. After the opponents took an early lead, the Catalans equalized through Javi Puado’s converted penalty. A striking pattern: in the last five games, Espanyol have only managed to score after the break. Encouragingly, goalkeeper Joan García, considered a key figure, is improving. The recently returned internationals Kumbulla, El Hilali and Král are also available again, which is urgently needed in the current situation.
Manolo González is also likely to stick with the 4-2-3-1, taking his cue from the formation that was last used against Atlético Madrid. Joan García is considered a great support in goal and is supported by Gómez, Kumbulla, Cabrera and El Hilali in defense. González and Král will presumably take on central roles, while Lozano, Puado and Carreras will form the offensive midfield. Fernández is likely to start as the striker. Thanks to the injury-free return of the national players, the squad is well-stocked, which Espanyol is taking advantage of right now.
Rayo Vallecano – Espanyol head-to-head & statistics
In the recent past, the lead in this duel went back and forth: Rayo actually had the edge with three wins in a row, but Espanyol won the last two meetings 2-1. It is striking that none of the last five games ended in a draw and that Rayo always scored in them. There were relatively few goals overall, never more than three per game. The question now is whether Espanyol can continue their small winning streak against Rayo or whether the Madrilenians will get the upper hand again.
