Villarreal vs Rayo Vallecano prediction: SPAIN: LaLiga betting tips on match 2024-04-27 16:30.
[p]Villarreal’s surge up the La Liga table has gathered real momentum in recent weeks, with their 2-1 win over rock-bottom AlmerĂa last time out serving as their fifth win across their last seven league matches (D1, L1). Marcelino’s side have given themselves an outside chance of finishing in the European places as a result, as they now trail Real Betis in seventh by six points with six games to go.[/p]
[p]That would be a dream for the Yellow Submarine, not only because they saw this season’s continental hopes sink with a UEFA Europa League Round of 16 elimination, but also because they’ve finished outside of La Liga’s top seven in only two of their last 18 top-flight campaigns. Crucial to that endeavour will be claiming all three points when Rayo Vallecano come to town – a side they’d won seven successive home H2Hs against until they lost this exact fixture last season. [/p]
[p]The visitors are in their own rich vein of form though after a 2-1 win over Osasuna in their last match extended their unbeaten run to four games (W2, D2). That has greatly released any pressure that they might’ve been feeling from the relegation zone, as they now head into this next round with a comfortable nine point buffer over those in the bottom three.[/p]
[p]More impressively is prior to the Osasuna game, Iñigo Pérez’s side had kept three straight clean sheets, after conceding in nine of their ten matches prior. The Red Sashes have been much less fortunate on the road recently though, having failed to win any of their last seven away matches (D2, L5) while not being able to find the net in the last three.[/p]
[p]Players to watch: Villarreal veteran Dani Parejo has shown that he can age into a game since his last ten goals – and his only career goal against Rayo Vallecano – have all come after half-time. A man nearly 12 years his junior will be attempting to steal the limelight here, with Vallecano’s Sergio Camello hoping to capitalise on netting four of his last six goals on the road, a streak started by scoring the winner in this fixture last season.[/p]
[p]Hot stat: Only one of Villarreal manager Marcelino’s 13 previous encounters with Rayo Vallecano has ended level (W6, L6).[/p]