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Sparks will fly as Rayo Vallecano and Racing Santander draw swords in the fourth round of La Liga at Estadio de Vallecas on Saturday.
The hosts have had a slow start to their campaign and are still in the hunt for their first win.
Racing Club, meanwhile, are eyeing their second consecutive victory.
Read our Rayo Vallecano vs Racing Santander 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 Racing Santander key stats
- Five of the last six clashes between these teams featured goals at both ends.
- Racing Santander conceded first in seven of their last nine matches.
- At least three goals were scored in six of Rayo Vallecano's last seven outings.
Rayo Vallecano vs Racing Santander preview: First clash in six years
Rayo Vallecano vs Racing Santander — Tale of the Tape
| Rayo Vallecano | vs | Racing Santander |
|---|---|---|
| 18th | Position | 10th |
| 1 | Points | 4 |
| 4 | Goals For | 5 |
| 8 | Goals Against | 5 |
| 0 | Clean Sheets | 0 |
| 15th | Home / Away Rank | 15th |
*These figures were accurate at the time of publishing.
Rayo Vallecano's struggles continued, as they suffered a humiliating 5-2 defeat at Barcelona last weekend, despite registering the first goal.
The hosts have earned only one point from their first three games of the season and have seen their defence breached eight times during that stretch.
On the positive side, Sergio Camello has been in sensational form, scoring three goals in his last two appearances, including a brace against Barcelona last weekend. The 25-year-old is expected to lead the charge once again.
Head coach Benat San Jose will have to do without Augusto Batalla, as the goalkeeper remains sidelined following surgery for a right leg tibia fracture sustained last month against Alaves.
The hosts are also missing Luiz Felipe and Jozhua Vertrouwd, with both players nursing hamstring injuries, while Isi Palazon is doubtful after picking up a muscular thigh injury last month.
On the other hand, Racing Santander are coming off a hard-fought 3-2 win against Elche.
The Cantabrian side raced to a three-goal lead thanks to Yassir Zabiri’s first-half hat-trick. While Elche were able to pull back two of those goals, Racing Club were able to hold on for their first win of the season.
Having earned four points from his team's first three league matches, head coach Jose Alberto Lopez will not be able to call upon the services of Andres Martin for this clash, as the 27-year-old, who joined the club from Rayo Vallecano a couple of years ago, is nursing a knee injury.
Pablo Ramon and Simon Eriksson's availability is questionable, as both players are making progress with team training following hamstring issues.
Rayo Vallecano have been the dominant side in recent clashes between these outfits, having won the last four H2Hs.
However, this will be the first clash between these teams since the 2019/20 season and their first in La Liga since 2011/12.
Rayo Vallecano vs Racing Santander form guide & betting tips
| Rayo Vallecano | vs | Racing Santander |
|---|---|---|
L
D
L
|
La Liga Form |
D
L
W
|
| 1 | Points | 4 |
| 18th | Form Table | 10th |
| 4 | Goals For | 5 |
| 8 | Goals Against | 5 |
W
L
L
D
L
|
Form (All Comps) |
W
L
D
L
W
|
Whispers Predicts: Rayo Vallecano 3-2 Racing Santander
At 27/20 (2.35), Rayo Vallecano are considered favourites by the bookies ahead of this skirmish.
Although the hosts have struggled to find their stride, they have an excellent track record against Racing Santander and should be able to secure their first home win this weekend.
Six of Rayo Vallecano's last seven matches and four of Racing Club's last five games featured goals at both ends, and this is currently priced at 4/6 (1.67).
We also fancy over 2.5 total goals at 17/20 (1.85), as was the case in six of Rayo's last seven outings and in five of the visiting team's last seven fixtures.
> Over 2.5 total goals at 17/20 (1.85) | Likelihood: Probable
> BTTS – Yes at 4/6 (1.67) | Likelihood: Probable
> Match result: Rayo Vallecano at 27/20 (2.35) | Likelihood: Possible
> Rayo Vallecano & BTTS – Yes at 13/4 (4.25) | Likelihood: Possible
> Correct Score: 3-2 at 27/1 (28.00) | Likelihood: Outsider