Preview: Rayo Vallecano vs Elche – prediction, team news, lineups

Elche will probably be bidding to make it again-to-again wins in Spain’s prime flight after they resume their marketing campaign in opposition to Rayo Vallecano on Friday evening.

The guests are presently seventeenth within the La Liga tableone level forward of 18th-positioned Mallorca, whereas Rayo are 14th, solely three factors forward of their opponents on this contest.

Match preview

Rayo have a report of seven wins, 11 attracts and 11 defeats from their 29 league matches this season, with 32 factors leaving them in 14th spot on the desk, solely 4 factors forward of the relegation zone heading into the ultimate straight.

The capital outfit have been final victorious within the league on March 4, beating Oviedo 3-0, they usually entered the March worldwide break off the again of a 1-0 defeat to Barcelona.

Los Franjirrojos are nonetheless energetic within the Conference League, lately reserving their spot within the quarter-finals of the competitors, and they’re going to tackle AEK for a place within the ultimate 4, with the primary leg of their final-eight conflict going down in Madrid on April 9.

Inigo Perez‘s facet can not afford to take their eye off the ball in La Liga, although, as their work is much from full relating to survival.

Rayo have solely really misplaced two of their 14 dwelling league matches this season, sharing the factors on eight events, which is a league-excessive.

© Imago / AFLOSPORT

Elche, in the meantime, will enter this match off the again of a 2-1 dwelling success over Mallorca, which was a large outcome by way of their battle to stay in Spain’s prime flight.

Eder Sarabia‘s facet had been and not using a win in 2026 getting into the conflict with Mallorca, however they got here from one objective behind to safe all three factors, with Rafa Mir and Tete Morente on the scoresheet, and the outcome moved them out of the relegation zone into seventeenth.

The Franjiverdes are just one level exterior of the underside three, however one other win on Friday could be a significant enhance relating to the battle to stay within the division.

Elche have the worst away report in Spain’s prime flight this season, selecting up solely 4 factors from 14 matches, failing to put up a single win.

Los Franjiverdes have confronted Rayo on 46 earlier events and have posted 28 wins to the latter’s 12, whereas there have solely ever been six attracts between the 2 sides.

Rayo Vallecano La Liga kind:

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Rayo Vallecano kind (all competitions):

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Elche La Liga kind:

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Team News

© Imago / ZUMA Press Wire

Rayo will probably be with out the providers of Diego Mendez by way of harm, whereas Ilias Akhomach, Fran Perez and Nobel Mendy will all face late health exams.

The dwelling facet may also be with out the providers of Pathe Ciss, with the 32-12 months-previous selecting up a milestone yellow card within the team’s 1-0 defeat to Barcelona final day out.

Alvaro Garcia he has been in spectacular kind this season, scoring 12 objectives and registering 9 assists in 43 appearances, and he’ll proceed within the ultimate third of the sphere.

As for Elche, on-mortgage Barcelona defend Hector Fort may return to the squad after recovering from a shoulder harm, however the Spaniard is unlikely to start out.

Victor Chust, Grady Diangana, and John Donald are all doubts for the competition, with all three requiring health exams earlier than their availability is decided.

Rafa Mir is the team’s main goalscorer this season, discovering the again of the web on eight events, and the 28-12 months-previous will proceed within the ultimate third of the sphere.

Rayo Vallecano potential beginning lineup:

Battle; Ratiu, Lejeune, Felipe, Chavarria; Valentin, Lopez; Akhomach, Palazon, A Garcia; Of fruits

Elche potential beginning lineup:

Dituro; Petrot, Affengruber, Bigas; Morente, Villar, Febas, Aguado, Valera; Mir, Rodriguez

We say: Rayo Vallecano 1-1 Elche

There has solely been six attracts within the earlier 46 matches between the 2 sides, however we are able to see a stalemate occurring right here; Rayo have drawn eight of their 14 dwelling fixtures this time period, recording simply two wins, so one other stalemate might be on the playing cards.

For information evaluation of the almost definitely outcomes, scorelines and extra for this match please click here.