Rayo Vallecano vs. AEK Athens – News and Probable Lineups

The Greek giants AEK Athens are set to travel to Spain for the first leg of their Conference League quarter-final against Rayo Vallecano on Thursday.

The victorious team from this tie will face either Mainz 05 or Strasbourg in the semi-finals.

Match overview

Rayo has reached the quarter-finals of the 2025-26 Conference League in what marks their first European venture since they reached the last eight in the 2000-01 Europa League.

Previously, Rayo faced a 4-2 defeat against fellow Spanish club Alaves, which means they enter this upcoming match against AEK with aspirations of reaching the semi-finals of a European tournament for the very first time.

Inigo Perez’s squad remains in the Conference League after finishing fifth in the league stage and achieving a 3-2 aggregate victory over Samsunspor in the round of 16.

Rayo secured a 3-1 win during the first leg away from home, and despite suffering a 1-0 loss at Vallecas, they managed to do enough to set up their inaugural clash against Greek rivals in UEFA competitions.

Los Franjirrojos will enter the first leg following a 1-0 victory at home against Elche in La Liga, a result that lifted them to 13th place and six points above the relegation zone.

They are now aiming to achieve consecutive home wins for the first time since their three-match winning streak at Vallecas in October and November, which included two victories in the Conference League against Shkendija and Lech Poznan.

Similar to Rayo, AEK advanced directly to the last 16 after achieving a top-eight finish in the league phase.

The Greek team overwhelmed their last-16 opponents Celje with a 4-0 win in Slovenia, and even though they allowed two first-half goals in the home match, they held on to progress with a 4-2 aggregate score.

While their ambitions include securing their first-ever European trophy, AEK is also vying for their first Greek Super League title since the 2022-23 season.

Marko Nikolic’s team is now five points clear at the top of the league table following a 1-0 victory against arch-rivals Olympiacos on Sunday, with the goal coming from Aboubakary Koita in the fifth minute.

This result not only bolstered AEK’s title ambitions but also extended their unbeaten away streak to 14 competitive matches (W10, D4).

This impressive run encompasses victories over Fiorentina, Samsunspor, and Celje in the Conference League, providing Thursday’s visitors with confidence as they aim to reach the semi-finals of a European competition for the first time since the 1976-77 UEFA Cup.

Team News

Rayo forward Fran Perez is currently dealing with an injury and has already been ruled out of Thursday’s encounter because he is not included in the club’s Conference League squad.

Jozhua Vertrouwd, Abdul Mumin, and Randy Nteka are also unavailable for the quarter-final match.

Midfielder Pathe Ciss will rejoin the squad after serving a one-match suspension in La Liga due to yellow card accumulation.

On the other hand, AEK will be missing Marko Grujic, Robert Ljubicic, Hakim Sahabo, and Joao Mario, who have not been included in the squad for the Conference League.

The Albanian international Stavros Pilios is expected to make his return to the starting lineup following a suspension that kept him out of Sunday’s win against Olympiacos.

Luka Jovic remains a significant goal-scoring threat for AEK, having netted 16 goals in 38 competitive appearances this season, with three of those coming in the Conference League.

Rayo Vallecano probable starting XI:

Battle; Ratiu, Lejeune, Felipe, Chavarria; Palazon, Ciss, Lopez; De Frutos, Garcia, Alemao

AEK Athens probable starting XI:

Strakosha; Rota, Moukoudi, Relvas, Pilios; Pineda, Marin; Koita, Pereyra; Varga, Jovic

Rayo will be eager to leverage their home advantage, but AEK has shown to be a formidable opponent on the road recently, and we anticipate they might manage to hold their Spanish hosts to a draw.