Rayo Vallecano vs Valencia 07/04/19

7 April 2019

The relegation-threatened Rayo Vallecano welcome the Champions League promotion fighters Valencia to the Campo de Futbol de Vallecas hoping to snap a five-game La Liga home winless streak (D2, L3) and boost their chances of avoiding relegation.

Eight losses in their last nine La Liga fixtures (D1, L8) sums up the hosts’ disappointing league campaign, as they currently sit 19th – six points adrift of the league safety. Rayo’s defensive woes accompanied by a lack of inspiration in the final third have seen them concede over 1.5 goals per match in seven of their last nine LL games while scoring one goal or less in each. Another potential worry for Paco Jémez is Los Franjirrojos’ disastrous home tally against LL’s top-six teams, with the returnees suffering all four losses in H2Hs with the Spanish ‘elite’ so far. The entertainment lacked in Rayo’s recent home games, with all three of their previous LL home clashes producing under 2.5 goals although four of their prior home matches provided goals on both ends with all of them ending with three or more goals.

The visitors come into this meeting off the back of a stunning 2-1 home win over Real Madrid as their pursuit of the top-four finish continues. Unbeaten in their last 17 games across all competitions (W10, D7), the Bats put their Champions League promotion hopes on the line here as they sit one point behind fourth-placed Getafe. After a 2-1 road loss to Alaves, the Oranges have wrapped up 11 points in five LL away fixtures in 2019 (W3, D2), scoring 2+ match goals three times in that period while keeping a clean sheet only once. Before beating Sevilla 1-0 in Andalusia, six of Valencia’s road games have produced goals on both ends, with four of those clashes ending with three or more goals.