Valencia vs Rayo Vallecano prediction: SPAIN: LaLiga betting tips on match 2024-05-11 16:30.
[p]Once a regular feature in UEFA competitions, Valencia have not qualified for European football in any of the last four seasons, a run that will stretch to five unless the cards heavily fall in their favour this time around. With just four rounds of fixtures left in La Liga, Los Ches sit five points adrift of the top seven ahead of this latest matchday, a position not helped by a current miserable three-game losing streak.[/p]
[p]The most recent of those was a 1-0 reversal to Alavés, after which manager Rubén Baraja conceded that his players are struggling with “fatigue.” He’ll be hoping that a full seven days without a fixture gives his squad a chance to recover therefore, especially as Valencia stand at risk of losing three successive league games at home for the first time in a single season since March 2016! [/p]
[p]Hoping to take advantage of that slump are upcoming opponents Rayo Vallecano, who know a victory in this fixture could be enough to secure their place in the top flight next season. Iñigo PĂ©rez’s team suffered a humiliating 1-0 home defeat to rock-bottom of the table AlmerĂa last Sunday, but still sit eight points outside of the relegation zone ahead of this round.[/p]
[p]That result also means that the Red Sashes, who are in their third season in a row in Spain’s top tier, have won just twice in 16 matches across all competitions since early January (D5, L9). Past results suggest that run might well be extended in this fixture, as Rayo have only registered one victory in their previous 22 trips to the Mestalla (D7, L14), with a 7-0 reversal there in 1978 acting as the joint-third worst in the club’s La Liga history.[/p]
[p]Key battle: Forward Hugo Duro, an ever-present in the league for Valencia this season, has seen seven of his last eight goals serve as the first or last of the game. Attempting to keep him quiet will be Rayo defender Iván Balliu, who is unbeaten in four personal H2Hs (W1, D3), despite both teams netting in each of those games. [/p]
[p]Hot stat: Rayo Vallecano’s four 0-0 draws away from home this season is a high for La Liga, while they’ve also failed to score across their last four fixtures on the road.[/p]