PREVIEW: Rayo Vallecano vs Las Palmas Head to Head and Predictions.

La Liga | Gameweek 13

Team: Rayo Vallecano vs Las Palmas
Date: November 8, 2024, 9:00 PM UK
Venue: Estadio de Vallecas

Rayo Vallecano will look to secure a third consecutive victory across all competitions when they host Las Palmas at Estadio de Vallecas on Friday night in La Liga action.

The hosts are currently sitting ninth in the La Liga standings with 16 points from 11 matches, while Las Palmas are positioned 18th, having managed just nine points from 12 matches this season.

Match Preview

Rayo Vallecano has had a respectable start to the season, with four wins, four draws, and three losses from their 11 matches, tallying 16 points. This has placed them ninth in the league, just three points shy of Athletic Bilbao in sixth.

Rayo’s defense has been a significant improvement this season, conceding only 10 goals in their first 11 matches — a better record than heavyweights Barcelona and Real Madrid, who have each conceded 11. Only Atletico Madrid (seven) and Mallorca (nine) have allowed fewer goals in the league this season. Rayo heads into this fixture on the back of consecutive wins, including a narrow 1-0 victory over Alaves in La Liga on October 26. They also enjoyed a 5-0 thrashing of Villamuriel in the Copa del Rey. However, their league match against Villarreal was postponed due to recent severe flash floods in Spain, leaving Rayo with a well-rested squad for this clash against Las Palmas.

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Meanwhile, Las Palmas recently enjoyed a three-game winning streak, defeating Valencia, Girona, and Ontinena. However, they fell short against Atletico Madrid in a 2-0 defeat last weekend, leaving them 18th in the league with a record of two wins, three draws, and seven losses. Las Palmas have scored a reasonable 13 goals this season but have struggled defensively, conceding 21 times — only Real Valladolid (24) and Espanyol (22) have worse records in the league.

Los Amarillos finished 16th last season and are currently in their third consecutive season in La Liga, aiming to secure another year in the top tier. Notably, they defeated Rayo 2-0 in their previous encounter in the 2023-24 season, a result they’ll hope to replicate to improve their struggling away form this season, with five losses in six away games.

Recent Form

Rayo Vallecano La Liga form: DDDWLW
Rayo Vallecano form (all competitions): DDWLWW

Las Palmas La Liga form: DLLWWL
Las Palmas form (all competitions): LLWWWL

Team News

Rayo will be without Diego Mendez and Alfonso Espino due to injuries, while Abdul Mumin and Unai Lopez are suspended. Mumin received a red card in their last league win over Alaves, while Lopez accumulated enough bookings to miss this game. Raul de Tomas impressed with two goals in the Copa del Rey win but is unlikely to start, while Gerard Gumbau should retain his place in the starting XI.

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For Las Palmas, Jasper Cillessen, Enzo Loiodice, and Adnan Januzaj are out with injuries, while Marvin Park is also doubtful due to a hamstring issue. Cillessen was substituted due to a head injury against Atletico Madrid, paving the way for Dinko Horkas to start in goal. Sandro Ramirez, Fabio Silva, and Alberto Moleiro are likely to continue as the attacking trio, while Dario Essugo is expected to hold his place in midfield.

Rayo Vallecano Possible Starting Lineup:

Batalla; Ratiu, Lejeune, Aridane, Chavarria; De Frutos, Valentin, Gumbau, A Garcia; Palazon, Camello

Las Palmas Possible Starting Lineup:

Horkas; Rozada, Suarez, McKenna, Munoz; K Rodriguez, Essugo, Campana; Sandro, F Silva, Moleiro

soccermole Prediction: Rayo Vallecano 2-1 Las Palmas
Las Palmas have shown improvement recently, but their defensive vulnerabilities may pose a challenge. Rayo Vallecano, with a strong start to the season, are favored to edge this contest, especially with home advantage and recent form on their side.

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