Mid-table Rayo Vallecano are still fighting for a potential spot in Europe next season as they welcome relegation-bound Espanyol to Estadio de Vallecas on Sunday.
Searching for their highest La Liga finish since 2013, hosts Los Franjirrojos could still qualify for the Europa Conference League. Although, there are a vast number of clubs vying for the position and the likes of Girona and Athletic Bilbao have much better goal differences. The home side have been far too inconsistent too, alternating between wins and losses over their last seven outings in the league.
Nevertheless, it is at home where Rayo have shone, winning the last three consecutive matches on their own turf, including a 2-1 victory over newly-crowned champions Barcelona at the end of April. They have lost just once in their last eight at the Vallecas and considering their opponents have lost all six of their most recent away matches, it looks as though Andoni Iraola’s side have the advantage in this one.
Espanyol are still fighting desperately to stay in the division but currently occupy second-from-bottom with just four games to go. There is also a gap between themselves and fellow relegation candidates Getafe, Real Valladolid and Almeria so the visitors need to start picking up more points before it’s too late.
The Parakeets have registered just four points out of a possible 33 in their most recent run of form, losing a mammoth nine matches out of 11. That has left them bottom of the form table over the last 15 league matches so relegation is looking extremely likely at this stage of the season. New head coach Luis García has failed to make much impact and also had to oversee rivals Barcelona winning the league on the club's own ground in their last match after a 4-2 loss.
Hopes of an improvement for the visitors in this one seems exceedingly slim. Rayo Vallecano have won six on the bounce against Espanyol, including a 2-0 win in the reverse fixture back in August. The Catalan club’s last victory over Rayito came back in 2019 but a win at the Vallecas for Espanyol last occurred almost ten years ago in 2014.
The only real positive for the visitors this term has been the impressive performances by Joselu. The 33-year-old has managed to achieve the best goal output of his career with 15 league goals to his name, leaving him as the third-highest goalscorer in the division, bettered only by legendary strikers Robert Lewandowski and Karim Benzema. The Spaniard has scored three in his last four as well so is in fine form.
Alvaro Garcia continues to prove his impact from the midfield for the hosts and has managed to contribute to ten goals in La Liga thus far, making it three consecutive seasons in doing so. Three of those goal contributions have come in his last four appearances too so he enters this one in good form.
Both Mario Suarez and Óscar Valentín are suspended for the home side. The former was dismissed, despite failing to get on the pitch last time out, whilst the latter is banned due to yellow card accumulation. Esteban Saveljich is in doubt due to injury.
José Gragera remains unlikely to feature since he has been absent for the past four matches due to injury, whilst Gori remains out. Martin Braithwaite is likely to miss the rest of the campaign after picking up a thigh problem against Barcelona last time out.
Expert Insight: There should be goals in this one since both sides have seen plenty go in at both ends of late. Rayo Vallecano have been excellent at home and Espanyol have been abysmal in general, let alone away from home, so the hosts should pick up the three points here.
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