Rayo Vallecano will be looking to stretch their unbeaten run in La Liga to four matches when they continue their 2024-25 campaign at home to Leganes on Saturday afternoon.
Inigo Perez's side will enter the game off the back of a 0-0 draw with Girona, while Leganes ended a three-game losing run in Spain's top flight with a 1-1 draw at Getafe in their last match.
Match preview
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Rayo underperformed last season, with a difficult campaign seeing them finish 17th in the table, but it has been a solid start to 2024-25 for the capital outfit.
Indeed, a record of two wins, three draws and two defeats from their seven matches has seen them collect nine points to sit 10th in the table, four points above the relegation zone.
Perez's team lost back-to-back matches to Barcelona and Espanyol at the end of August, but it has been a successful September, beating Osasuna 3-1 after the international break, before holding both Atletico Madrid and Girona to draws in their last two games.
This contest will represent the first meeting between the two sides since June 2021, and Rayo have won the last two matches, with Leganes' last victory over Saturday's opponents coming in December 2020.
Rayo are in their best run of top-flight football since 2016, and they will be bidding to secure a fifth straight La Liga campaign with a solid 2024-25 season.
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Leganes secured a return to La Liga courtesy of their Segunda Division title success last term, with the club back in the top flight after four campaigns in the second tier.
El Lega have won one, drawn three and lost three of their seven matches this season to collect six points, which has left them in 15th spot in the table, one point ahead of the relegation zone.
Borja Jimenez's side opened their campaign with a 1-1 draw against Osasuna before beating Las Palmas 2-1, but they have picked up only two points from their last five games, losing to Mallorca, Real Betis and Athletic Bilbao either side of the September international break.
Leganes will enter this match off the back of a positive result, though, having drawn 1-1 with Getafe last weekend; Jorge Saenz sent the promoted outfit ahead in the 76th minute of the contest, before Borja Mayoral levelled the scores from the penalty spot in the 83rd minute.
Team News
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Rayo will again be without the services of Alfonso Espino and Diego Mendez for Saturday's contest, while Pep Chavarria is a major doubt, having been forced off in the first half of the clash with Girona last time out.
Jorge de Frutos could be the player to benefit, with the Spaniard likely to be introduced into the XI, which would see Andrei Ratiu move from a midfield position back into defence.
Head coach Perez has plenty of options for change in the forward areas, with Randy Nteka, James Rodriguez, Sergi Guardiola and Raul de Tomas all available, but Isi Palazon and Sergio Camello should continue as the front two.
As for Leganes, Naim Garcia and Yvan Neyou are both still unavailable, but there have been no further injuries reported following the clash with Getafe.
Head coach Jimenez could again select a 3-4-3 formation, with Oscar Rodriguez and Munir El Haddadi expected to support Miguel de la Fuente in the final third of the field.
Juan Cruz is actually Leganes' highest goalscorer in La Liga this season with two, and the 24-year-old is again set to start, but Sebastien Haller may continue on the bench.
Rayo Vallecano possible starting lineup:
Batalla; Balliu, Lejeune, Mumin, Ratiu; De Frutos, Diaz, Valentin, Embarba; Palazon, Camello
Leganes possible starting lineup:
Dmitrovic; Saenz, Gonzalez, Nastasic; Rosier, Cisse, Tapia, Cruz; Rodriguez, De la Fuente, El Haddadi
We say: Rayo Vallecano 2-1 Leganes
Leganes will certainly have taken confidence from their draw with Getafe, but Rayo were impressive in their last home fixture, holding Atletico to a 1-1 draw, and we are backing Perez's team to navigate their way to a narrow victory in Saturday's contest.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Matt Law
