Rayo Vallecano vs Deportivo Alavés – News and Probable Lineups

Rayo Vallecano finds themselves in a situation needing to bounce back after suffering a defeat from a penalty in the 97th minute on the first matchday. They are set to host Alaves at the Estadio de Vallecas on Thursday night during the second matchday of the newly commenced LaLiga season.

The visiting team arrives in buoyant mood following a convincing victory over Getafe, but facing a match at Vallecas presents an entirely different challenge – and the prior clashes between these teams provide an unsettling outlook for Alaves.

Match overview

The opening match for Rayo ended in disappointment despite a bright beginning, with Alvaro Garcia giving them the lead just four minutes in before Jon Guridi equalized for Sevilla with a penalty in the 52nd minute.

A second penalty awarded in the 97th minute, despite Sevilla going down to ten men shortly beforehand, resulted in the visitors clinching all three points in a stinging 2-1 loss that Benat San Jose’s squad will feel keenly.

As they return to the Estadio de Vallecas for their inaugural home match of the season, Rayo had a solid performance last season, finishing eighth in LaLiga with 50 points, netting a total of 41 goals while conceding 44.

Their historical performance against Alaves should provide additional motivation, given that Rayo has secured four wins out of the last five encounters between the two sides.

Alaves managed to squeeze out victory only once, and the hosts have also enjoyed a perfect run at home against Alaves in their last four matches, keeping a clean sheet each time.

Conversely, Alaves began their campaign positively, taking advantage of Getafe’s misfortune when Kiko Femenia received a red card just before the half-time mark while the score was level.

Three goals in the second half provided Quique Sanchez Flores’s team a comfortable opening victory and maximum points from their first fixture.

The Basque side finished last season in 14th place with 43 points, having struggled defensively by allowing 56 goals throughout their campaign.

Last season saw them record just four wins and 11 losses on their travels.

The visitors have not emerged victorious at Estadio de Vallecas since 2018, when they recorded a stunning 5-1 win.

The most recent meeting between the teams occurred in May, where Rayo achieved a 2-1 victory away from home to complete the league double over Alaves, with the only downside being a Copa del Rey win for Alaves.

Team News

Heading into the match on Thursday, Rayo will be without Luiz Felipe, sidelined for approximately four months due to a hamstring injury, while Marash Kumbulla remains a doubt and might not make the squad.

Rayo has also been active in the summer transfer window, primarily focusing on outgoings.

Chelsea has signed full-back Pep Chavarria for about £16.3m, and Hull City has secured defender Nobel Mendy for £19.7m, leaving Sanchez with a reconfigured squad.

Augusto Batalla is expected to retain his spot in the starting XI despite the loss on matchday one, while Sergio Camello is anticipated to lead the attack for the hosts.

Alaves could field a fully fit squad for the trip to Vallecas, with Lucas Boye back from injury.

Having failed to find the back of the net in LaLiga over the last four seasons, Mariano Diaz made an instant impact off the bench against Getafe, scoring and assisting two other goals after entering the game in the 57th minute.

This impact likely secures Diaz a place in the starting XI on Thursday, with the Dominican international expected to spearhead the attack alongside Toni Martinez.

Rayo Vallecano probable starting XI:

Battle; Ratiu, Lejeune, Ciss, Balliu; Valentin, Lopez; Frutos, Palazon, Garcia; Camello

Alaves probable starting XI:

Sivera; Otto, Koski, Tenaglia; Rebbach, Blanco, Rodriguez, Ibanez, Perez; Diaz, Martinez

Four consecutive home victories without conceding a single goal against Alaves speaks volumes, and with Perez’s side eager to rectify the disappointment from a last-minute defeat on the opening day, Estadio de Vallecas is likely to be a challenging venue for visitors that managed only four away wins last season.