Rayo Vallecano vs Villarreal – News and Probable Lineups

Conference League finalists Rayo Vallecano are set to host Villarreal in Vallecas for their concluding La Liga home fixture of the season.

The home side is currently positioned 10th, while Villarreal occupies third place in the league table.

Match overview

Rayo has secured their place in the top tier for a sixth straight season, with their midweek draw against Valencia confirming their La Liga survival with two matches still to play.

Randy Nteka’s penalty hit the post before Florian Lejuene headed Rayo ahead in the 20th minute, but their lead was short-lived as Diego Lopez equalized late in the first half.

Though they couldn’t clinch a victory, the 1-1 result, along with Girona’s draw with Real Sociedad, mathematically confirmed Rayo’s safety going into what might be Inigo Perez’s final home game in charge, as the 38-year-old is reportedly leading the race to succeed Marcelino at Villarreal this summer.

Perez will primarily focus on Rayo’s upcoming Conference League final against Crystal Palace on May 27, where he could further elevate his team’s historic campaign by potentially securing their first significant trophy.

Nevertheless, Rayo will be eager to conclude their domestic season on a positive note, particularly since they are four points shy of the top seven in pursuit of European qualification.

Los Franjirrojos will feel optimistic about their chances in Sunday’s home tie, especially given their unbeaten run at home in their last eight La Liga matches (W4, D4).

Villarreal is preparing to say goodbye to their head coach, Marcelino, even though he has guided the team to Champions League qualification for two successive seasons.

Currently, the Yellow Submarine holds the third spot, three points clear of Atletico Madrid, putting them on the brink of a top-three finish in La Liga for the first time since claiming the runners-up position in 2007-08.

Marcelino, whose contract expires this summer, was reportedly dissatisfied with Villarreal’s offer of only a one-year extension, prompting the decision to part ways after the concluding match against Atletico Madrid.

The 60-year-old is eager to end his second tenure with a few positive outcomes, although he must lift his players from a disappointing 3-2 loss in Wednesday’s home match against Sevilla.

Gerard Moreno and Georges Mikautadze each scored early in the first half at the Estadio de la Ceramica, but Villarreal couldn’t withstand Sevilla’s comeback, marking their first home defeat since losing 2-0 to Real Madrid in January.

Villarreal will now look to secure a league double over Rayo after winning their previous encounter 4-0 in November.

Team News

Rayo will be without the injured Luiz Felipe and Ilias Akhomach, while Isi Palazon will serve the fourth match of a seven-game suspension.

Veteran player Alvaro Garcia is unlikely to play after missing the midweek game against Valencia.

Andrei Ratiu, Pathe Ciss, Unai Lopez, Jorge De Frutos, and Sergio Camello are potential candidates to start in Rayo’s last home match of the season.

As for Villarreal, they still miss long-term casualty Juan Foyth, who has been sidelined since January due to an Achilles problem.

Defender Renato Veiga will be absent due to a one-match suspension following his fifth yellow card of the league season.

After making extensive changes on Wednesday, Marcelino is expected to reinstate several players, including Rafa Marin, Sergi Cardona, Tajon Buchanan, Alfon Gonzalez, and Ayoze Perez.

Rayo Vallecano probable starting XI:

Battle; Ratiu, Lejeune, Ciss, Pacha; Lopez, Valentin; Perez, Nteka, De Frutos; Camello

Villarreal probable starting XI:

Tenacity; Mourino, Navarro, Marin, Cardona; Buchanan, Comesana, Gueye, Alfon; Come on, Dear

Rayo has shown resilience at home in recent matches, and while they will face a challenging encounter on Sunday, we expect them to maintain their unbeaten streak in Vallecas to nine games with an entertaining draw.