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A place in the UEFA Conference League final will be at stake when Strasbourg host Rayo Vallecano at Stade de la Meinau on Thursday.
The hosts will hope to salvage their campaign after suffering a 1-0 defeat in the first leg of this tie.
Rayo Vallecano, on the other hand, will fancy their chances of reaching their first-ever continental final.
Read our Strasbourg vs Rayo Vallecano prediction, preview and betting tips. You can also check out our today's betting tips page for more of our expert predictions.
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Strasbourg vs Rayo Vallecano key stats
- Rayo Vallecano are currently on a four-game unbeaten run.
- Strasbourg conceded first in four of their last five matches.
- At least five cards were awarded in each of Rayo Vallecano's last seven fixtures.
Strasbourg vs Rayo Vallecano preview: Can the hosts turn things around?
| Strasbourg | vs | Rayo Vallecano |
|---|---|---|
| 8th (Ligue 1) | Position | 11th (La Liga) |
| 46 | Points | 42 |
| 50 | Goals For | 35 |
| 41 | Goals Against | 41 |
| 9 | Clean Sheets | 11 |
| 9th | Home Rank | 11th |
| 8th | Away Rank | 10th |
Strasbourg's struggles continued with a 2-1 home defeat against Toulouse last weekend. Gary O'Neil's troops have not been particularly impressive in recent weeks, having lost four of their last five matches across all competitions.
The hosts have not played in a continental final since they won the UEFA Intertoto Cup in 1995. They have also never beaten a Spanish side in four previous tries (D3, L1).
For this game, Strasbourg will have to do without Joaquin Panichelli and Aaron Anselmino, as both players are out for the remainder of the season due to cruciate ligament and hamstring injuries, respectively.
The Ligue 1 side could also be without Valentin Barco (ankle) and Guela Doue (illness).
On the other hand, Rayo Vallecano defeated Getafe on the road by two unanswered goals in their last outing. They are brimming with confidence ahead of this skirmish, having won three of their last four games across all competitions to nil.
Interestingly, this is the visitors' first-ever appearance in the semi-finals of UEFA competition. Not only do Inigo Perez's troops have a one-goal advantage ahead of this second leg, but they also have a perfect three wins from three against French opposition.
Rayo Vallecano have Isi Palazon available for this match as the midfielder’s seven-game domestic ban for improper conduct does not affect his involvement in this competition.
However, for this trip, the Madrid-based club will not be able to call upon the services of Diego Mendez (knee), Alvaro Garcia (muscle), and Luiz Felipe (hamstring) due to the aforementioned injuries.
Strasbourg vs Rayo Vallecano form guide & betting tips
| Strasbourg | vs | Rayo Vallecano |
|---|---|---|
| L-L-W-L-L | Form | L-W-D-W-W |
| 4 | Goals For | 8 |
| 10 | Goals Against | 6 |
| W-D-L-W-L | Conference League form | W-L-W-L-W |
Whispers Predicts: Strasbourg 0-1 Rayo Vallecano
At 1.93, Rayo Vallecano are considered favourites by the bookmakers.
However, the hosts have lost their last three home games in all competitions and have drawn blanks in three of their last five outings, including the first leg of this tie.
On that note, we fancy Rayo Vallecano to win-to-nil at 7.25. This combination has landed in three of the visitors' last four games.
Also, considering that Strasbourg conceded first in four of their last five matches, Rayo Vallecano to score first can be backed at 2.40.
> BTTS - No at 2.05 | Likelihood: Probable
> Under 2.5 goals at 1.96 | Likelihood: Probable
> Match result - Rayo Vallecano at 4.16 | Likelihood: Possible
> Rayo Vallecano & BTTS - No at 7.25 | Likelihood: Outsider
> Correct score: 0-1 at 12.00 | Likelihood: Outsider