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

Rayo Vallecano welcome Samsunspor to the Estadio de Vallecas on Thursday night time for the decisive second leg of their UEFA Europa Conference League spherical of 16 tie, with the Spanish facet holding a commanding benefit after the primary assembly.

Inigo Perez‘s facet traveled again to Madrid with one foot firmly within the quarter-finals after securing a 3–1 victory in Turkey final week, whereas the guests are aiming to turn out to be solely the second team to overturn a 3–1 first-leg deficit within the Conference League after Olympiacos achieved the feat against Maccabi Tel Aviv within the 2023–24 season.

Match preview

Rayo will enter Thursday’s match with a 3–1 advantage over Samsunspor from the primary leg of their final-16 conflict within the UEFA Europa Conference League, putting the capital team in a robust place to achieve the quarter-finals.

Perez’s facet superior on to the spherical of 16 with out requiring a playoff after ending fifth within the league part with 4 wins, one draw and one defeat.

The Red Sashes additionally boasted one of the crucial highly effective assaults throughout that stage with 13 objectives, surpassed solely by AEK Athens (14), and additional enhanced their tally with a powerful show in final week’s first-leg victory.

Rayo opened the scoring inside quarter-hour by means of German after capitalizing on an effort from Isi Palazon, earlier than Marius Mouandilmadji equalized seven minutes later for Samsunspor, however Alvaro Garcia Rivera restored the lead earlier than halftime following a swift counterattack, and Alemao sealed the three–1 win within the 78th minute with a effective solo effort.

Palazon grew to become the primary participant in Rayo Vallecano’s historical past to supply two assists in a single match in any main European competitors, and in addition the primary Spanish participant to attain that feat within the Conference League.

The capital membership have gained all three of their house matches within the Conference League this season, though they’re winless of their final two house video games in La Liga, each ending 1–1, towards Seville and a dramatic 94th-minute equalizer to salvage a degree towards Levant on Sunday.

Samsunspor journey to Madrid dealing with a major problem after a disappointing house defeat handed Rayo a agency benefit and positioned the Spanish facet getting ready to the quarter-finals.

The Turkish outfit should overturn a two-objective deficit away from house towards an opponent that has mixed attacking effectivity with tactical self-discipline, whereas additionally sustaining an unbeaten house report within the competitors this season.

Conceding 3 times within the first leg has left Samsunspor with little margin for error, that means they’re prone to undertake an aggressive method in Spain whereas additionally making an attempt to enhance defensively after their struggles in Turkey.

Despite the issue of the duty, Thorsten Fink‘s facet can draw confidence from their attacking output within the competitors, led by Mouandilmadji, who has registered eight objectives and two assists in 9 Conference League appearances this season.

The Red Lightning have produced a blended away report within the competitors with one win, one draw and one defeat, however can be inspired by their 2–1 victory over Kayserispor final weekend, which ended consecutive defeats towards Fenerbahce and Rayo and will present a well timed enhance in confidence.

Rayo Vallecano Conference League type:

Rayo Vallecano type (all competitions):

Samsunspor Conference League type:

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Team News

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Rayo can be with out Diego Mendez as a result of harm, however in any other case the hosts have a robust squad out there for the conflict with Samsunspor.

Augusto Batalla, Palazon, Oscar Trejo and Oscar Valentin are all one reserving away from suspension, that means one other warning would rule them out of the primary leg of the quarter-finals ought to Rayo progress.

Perez rotated closely towards Levante with eight adjustments, leaving solely Batalla, Florian Lejeune and Alemao from the primary leg within the beginning lineup, however a number of regulars are anticipated to return because the hosts goal to finish the job.

Samsunspor suffered a blow final weekend when captain Olivier Ntcham was pressured off after 4 minutes and changed by Antoine Makoumbou, whereas Bedirhan Cetin stays sidelined with a cruciate ligament harm, Afonso Sousa remains to be recovering from an ankle drawback, and Jaures Assoumou can be unavailable as a result of harm.

Yunus Emre Cift, Carl Holse, Rick van Drongelen and Celil Yuksel are all on two yellow playing cards and danger suspension for the quarter-finals if Samsunspor handle to provide an upset.

Rayo Vallecano attainable beginning lineup:

Battle; Ratiu, Lejeune, Filipe, Chavarria; Lopes, Ciss; Akhomach, Garcia, Palazon; German

Samsunspor attainable beginning lineup:

Kocuk; Cift, Sakta, Drongelen, Tomasson; Makoumbou, Yuksel, Kilinc; Holse, Mendes, Mouandilmadji

We say: Rayo Vallecano 2-0 Samsunspor (Rayo Vallecano win 5-1 on mixture)

Rayo are in a robust place to progress and will nonetheless advance even with a slim defeat, however their expertise and management of the tie ought to enable them to make the most of a Samsunspor facet prone to push ahead searching for objectives.

The hosts are anticipated to frustrate their guests and capitalize on areas, in the end securing one other win and sustaining their spectacular house report within the competitors, with a 2–0 victory the seemingly end result.

For knowledge evaluation of the most probably outcomes, scorelines and extra for this match please click here.