Two teams with 20 points to show from their 17 La Liga matches during the 2023-24 campaign will lock horns on Tuesday evening, with Rayo Vallecano welcoming Valencia to Campo de Futbol de Vallecas.
Rayo will enter the game off the back of a 1-0 defeat to Osasuna, while Valencia held the champions Barcelona to a 1-1 draw at Mestalla on Saturday night.
Match preview
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Rayo's winless run in Spain's top flight stretched to seven matches on Friday evening, when they suffered a 1-0 defeat at Osasuna, with Raul Garcia netting the only goal of the contest in the 95th minute.
The capital side now have a record of four wins, eight draws and five defeats from their 17 league games this season, with a total of 20 points leaving them in 11th position in the table.
Francisco's side have not managed to triumph in the league since October 22, although four of their last seven La Liga games have finished level, including their last two at home against Barcelona and Celta Vigo.
Rayo have finished 12th and 11th in their last two campaigns at this level, so it is not a surprise to see them in 11th at this stage, but they have struggled in an attacking sense this season, only managing 16 goals.
Los Franjirrojos recorded a 2-1 win over Valencia in the corresponding match last season, but the points were shared in a 1-1 draw when they last locked horns at Mestalla in April.
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Valencia, meanwhile, will enter this match off the back of a 1-1 draw with Barcelona on Saturday; Joao Felix made the breakthrough in the 55th minute of the contest, before Hugo Guillamon levelled in the 70th minute.
Los Che, who are 10th in the table, have also picked up 20 points from their 17 league games this season, which have been gained courtesy of five wins and five draws, while they have been beaten seven times.
Ruben Baraja's side are on a five-game winless run in La Liga, with their last success in Spain's top flight proving to be a 1-0 victory over Granada at the start of November.
Since then, Valencia have drawn two and lost three of their five matches, suffering back-to-back losses to Girona and Getafe before sharing the points with Barcelona last time out.
Los Che finished 16th in La Liga last season, which was their lowest spot since being relegated at the end of the 1986-87 campaign, so there is plenty of room for improvement this term.
Team News
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Rayo head coach Francisco is still searching for the right formula in the final third of the field, and he is again likely to alter his attack for the team's final match of 2023.
Sergio Camello is still waiting for his first league goal of the campaign, but the 22-year-old could come into the XI at the expense of Raul de Tomas.
Randy Nteka, who has one La Liga goal this term, might also be introduced in an attacking area, but Alvaro Garcia and Isi Palazon should retain their spots in the side.
Oscar Trejo is currently the team's only doubt due to a muscular problem.
Valencia, meanwhile, will be missing Jose Gaya due to a muscular issue; Andre Almeida is also a doubt with a back problem that again ruled him out against Barcelona.
Los Che will be boosted by the return of Gabriel Paulista and Javi Guerra following suspensions, though, and the pair should both be in the starting side on Tuesday night.
Baraja could potentially select a five-man midfield here, with Hugo Duro, who has scored seven league goals this season, again leading the line for the former Spanish champions.
Rayo Vallecano possible starting lineup:
Dimitrievski; Balliu, Mumin, Lejeune, Espino; Palazon, Ciss, Valentin, A Garcia; Nteka, Camello
Valencia possible starting lineup:
Mamardashvili; Correia, Paulista, Mosquera, Vazquez; F Perez, Guillamon, Guerra, Pepelu, D Lopez; Duro
We say: Rayo Vallecano 1-1 Valencia
Both teams are on 20 points from 17 matches, while three of their last four league meetings have finished level. A case can be made for either to win it, but we are finding it difficult to separate them, ultimately settling on a low-scoring draw on Tuesday night.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Matt Law
