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Three valuable points will be up for grabs when Rayo Vallecano and Deportivo Alaves lock horns in the second round of La Liga at Estadio de Vallecas on Thursday.
The hosts suffered a heartbreaking defeat in their season opener and will look to bounce back with their first win of the campaign.
Alaves, meanwhile, are eyeing their sixth consecutive victory across all competitions.
Read our Rayo Vallecano vs Alaves prediction, preview and betting tips below, and make sure to check out our today's betting tips page for more of our expert predictions.
Rayo Vallecano vs Alaves key stats
- Deportivo Alaves have lost their last four trips to this stadium.
- Both teams were on the scoresheet in four of Rayo Vallecano's last five matches.
- Rayo Vallecano have conceded first in five of their last seven outings.
Rayo Vallecano vs Alaves preview: Can the visitors end their Vallecas curse?
Rayo Vallecano vs Alaves — Tale of the Tape
| Rayo Vallecano | vs | Alaves |
|---|---|---|
| 18th | Position | 2nd |
| 0 | Points | 3 |
| 1 | Goals For | 3 |
| 2 | Goals Against | 0 |
| 0 | Clean Sheets | 1 |
| 14th | Home / Away Rank | 2nd |
*These figures were accurate at the time of publishing.
Rayo Vallecano kicked off their La Liga campaign with a disappointing 2-1 defeat at Sevilla. Despite having a one-man advantage, they still managed to concede the winner in the 97th minute.
This ends the Castilian side's three-game winning streak in La Liga openers, and it was their first Round 1 defeat since the 2021/22 season.
Additionally, Rayo's last three defeats in top-flight opening games have all come against Sevilla (26/27, 21/22, 18/19).
The hosts will look to rebound from that heartbreaking loss against a familiar opponent. Not only have Rayo Vallecano won the last four La Liga encounters between these sides, but they have also won Alaves' last four trips to this stadium without conceding a single goal.
Furthermore, Benat San Jose’s side are unbeaten in their last seven home games across all competitions and have lost only once at this stadium in almost seven months. The former Eibar manager also has no new injury concerns ahead of this skirmish.
On the other hand, Deportivo Alaves cruised to a comfortable 3-0 victory at home against a short-handed Getafe last weekend.
Quique Sanchez Flores’s men have now won five games in a row, keeping three clean sheets in the process.
The visitors were without Lucas Boye in their season opener, with the forward still nursing a muscular problem. However, the Argentine has fully recovered and is available for this clash.
Mariano Diaz is expected to lead the line for the Basque side. The former Real Madrid and Sevilla player put in a man-of-the-match performance last weekend, scoring once and providing two assists.
Rayo Vallecano vs Alaves form guide & betting tips
| Rayo Vallecano | vs | Alaves |
|---|---|---|
L
|
La Liga Form |
W
|
| 0 | Points | 3 |
| 18th | Form Table | 1st |
| 1 | Goals For | 3 |
| 2 | Goals Against | 0 |
L
L
W
L
L
|
Form (All Comps) |
W
W
W
W
W
|
Whispers Predicts: Rayo Vallecano 2-1 Alaves
At 27/20 (2.35), Rayo Vallecano are considered favourites by the bookies.
Although Alaves are currently on a five-match winning streak, considering their poor track record against Rayo, coupled with the hosts' impressive run of results at this stadium, we are leaning toward Rayo Vallecano for the victory.
Moreover, Rayo Vallecano's last five matches have all gone north of the 2.5-goal marker, and this can be backed at 7/4 (2.75).
We also fancy BTTS – Yes at 5/4 (2.25), as was the case in four of the hosts' last five fixtures.
> Over 2.5 total goals at 7/4 (2.75) | Likelihood: Possible
> BTTS – Yes at 5/4 (2.25) | Likelihood: Probable
> Match result: Rayo Vallecano at 27/20 (2.35) | Likelihood: Probable
> Rayo Vallecano & BTTS – Yes at 26/5 (6.20) | Likelihood: Possible
> Correct Score: 2-1 at 19/2 (10.50) | Likelihood: Outsider