Rayo Vallecano vs Celta Vigo – News and Probable Lineups

Celta Vigo will look to extend their unbeaten streak in Spain’s top flight to eight matches as they travel to Madrid on Saturday for a clash with Rayo Vallecano.

The visiting team is positioned ninth in the La Liga standings, having garnered 12 points from their initial 10 matches of the season, while Rayo sits 16th in the league with nine points.

Match overview

Rayo has managed two victories, three draws, and four losses in their first nine matches of the season, placing them in 16th position in the standings, just one point above the relegation zone.

The capital club, who secured eighth place in Spain’s top division last season, approaches this match following a 3-2 win over Recreativo de Huelva in the first round of the Copa del Rey.

However, Benat San Jose’s team suffered a 3-0 defeat at home to Elche in La Liga last weekend and has not been able to claim a league victory since their win over Espanyol on September 15.

Historically, Rayo have won 22, lost 22, and drawn 20 of their last 64 encounters against Celta in all competitions; their most recent meeting was in January 2026, where Celta emerged victorious with a 3-0 scoreline.

Nevertheless, Rayo has won two of their last four encounters against Celta, with both victories occurring during the 2024-25 La Liga season.

Celta played to a goalless draw against Real Betis last weekend, leaving them ninth in the league with 12 points from 10 matches.

The Sky Blues have recorded two wins, six draws, and two losses in Spain’s top flight this season, and they’re currently unbeaten in their last seven matches at this level.

Claudio Giraldez’s side, who concluded the previous season in sixth place in La Liga, has not tasted defeat in the league since late August, though they were eliminated at home by Juventus in the Europa League on October 15.

Celta has been solid defensively this season, conceding just seven goals, which marks the best record in the league, while they’ve struggled offensively, only managing to score 10 times across as many matches.

Team News

Rayo is again anticipated to be without Augusto Batalla, Luiz Felipe, and Andrei Ratiu for the league clash against Celta.

Alemao scored a brace in the Copa del Rey triumph over Recreativo but is not expected to start here, especially with Sergio Camello having scored seven league goals this season.

Pathe Ciss will miss this match due to suspension following his yellow card against Elche, which means Oscar Valentin could be called upon to enter the midfield.

As for Celta, Borja Iglesias, Carl Starfelt, Alvaro Nunez, Miguel Roman, and Jones El Abdellaoui are once again likely to miss out due to injuries.

Ferran Jutgla dropped from the starting XI against Real Betis last time out but is expected to return for this fixture.

There are unlikely to be surprises in the selection with Ilaix Moriba again expected to be a notable presence in the midfield.

Rayo Vallecano probable starting XI:

Audero; Balliu, Lejeune, Sadick, Pedrosa; Valentin, Lopez; De Frutos, Diaz, A Garcia; Camel

Celta Vigo probable starting XI:

Radu; Rodriguez, Lago, Alonso; Rueda, Moriba, Febas, Galan; Gonzalez, Jutgla, Alvarez

This match is difficult to predict as Celta is on a lengthy unbeaten streak, but finding victories has been challenging lately. We anticipate a closely contested fixture that may end in a low-scoring draw.