Rayo Vallecano vs Real Sociedad – News and Probable Lineups

This Sunday afternoon, two clubs eager to secure their positions as the season winds down will face off in Madrid, with Rayo Vallecano hosting Real Sociedad.

Currently, Rayo finds itself in 11th place in the La Liga standings, trailing eighth-placed Real Sociedad by four points, who have already secured a spot in European competitions next season thanks to their Copa del Rey triumph.

Match overview

Recently, Rayo has alleviated some worries regarding relegation, achieving victories in two of their last three La Liga matches, including a narrow 1-0 win against Espanyol on Thursday, elevating them to 11th place in the league.

The team from the capital is currently five points above the relegation zone, while they sit only four points behind eighth-placed Real Sociedad ahead of this weekend’s matchup.

Rayo still has an opportunity to aim for a European finish in La Liga, yet their best shot at participating in European competition next season could materialize through the ongoing Conference League, where Inigo Perez’s squad is in the semi-finals and gearing up to face Strasbourg in two legs.

Los Franjirrojos will host Strasbourg for the first leg of their semi-final encounter on April 30 before traveling to França on May 7, aiming to reach the final.

At home this season, Rayo has only faced defeat twice in the league, with a league-high eight draws at their venue, which may provide some insight into the potential outcome of this weekend’s clash.

On the other hand, Real Sociedad has managed only three wins out of 15 away La Liga encounters this season, but they’ll come into this match following a home defeat, losing 1-0 to Getafe on Wednesday night.

Nevertheless, La Real triumphed in the Copa del Rey final against Atletico Madrid last weekend, securing their place in the league phase of next season’s Europa League.

Pellegrino Matarazzo’s team is not yet mathematically eliminated from contention for Champions League qualification next season; although the task is daunting, the Basque club will strive to win their last six league matches and assess their standing afterward.

Currently, Real Sociedad occupies the eighth position in the table, seven points away from fifth-placed Real Betis and 15 points behind fourth-placed Atletico Madrid, who is competing in the Champions League semi-finals.

La Real has indeed secured victory in only one of their last six encounters against Rayo in all competitions, having lost 1-0 when they last met in the reverse fixture back in October.

Rayo Vallecano La Liga form:

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Rayo Vallecano form (all competitions):

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Real Sociedad La Liga form:

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Real Sociedad form (all competitions):

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Team News

Rayo will miss Diego Mendez for this weekend’s matchup due to injury, while Luiz Felipe, Randy Nteka, and Alvaro Garcia will all undergo late fitness assessments.

Another confirmed absentee for the home side on Sunday will be Augusto Batalla, who has been suspended after receiving a milestone booking during the match against Espanyol.

On a positive note, both Nobel Mendy and Florian Lejeune are available for selection following their suspensions in the previous match.

As for Real Sociedad, Sergio Gomez returns from suspension and is expected to start as left-back, while Duje Caleta-Car will be sidelined due to a suspension after a milestone yellow card against Getafe.

Inaki Ruperez and Alvaro Odriozola are also out due to injuries, while Igor Zubeldia, Aritz Elustondo, Goncalo Guedes, and Jon Karrikaburu are facing late fitness tests.

Real Sociedad’s defensive challenges could lead to midfield player Jon Gorrotxategi being deployed in a defensive role for the Basque team.

Rayo Vallecano probable starting XI:

Cardenas; Balliu, Lejeune, Mendy, Espino; Gumbau, Lopez; Akhomach, Diaz, Martin; Camello

Real Sociedad probable starting XI:

Remiro; Aramburu, Martin, Gorrotxategi, Gomez; Turrientes, Soler; Kubo, Sucic, Barrenetxea; Oyarzabal

The previous meeting between these sides ended in a 2-2 draw, and similar outcomes seem plausible again, with both managers likely coming away with a point each.