Rayo Vallecano vs Almeria prediction: SPAIN: LaLiga betting tips on match 2024-05-04 19:00.
[p]Rayo Vallecano will take a giant stride towards La Liga survival this Sunday if they beat already-relegated AlmerĂa, an opponent they defeated 2-0 in the reverse fixture and have lost to only once in eight previous home league H2Hs (W5, D2). They should be confident about further improving on that impressive sequence as they haven’t lost any of their last five games in Vallecas (W2, D3), their best run since November 2022. [/p]
[p]Their current unbeaten streak has even seen them hold champions-elect Real Madrid to a 1-1 draw and overcome European-chasing Real Betis (2-0). But that latter result was one of just three La Liga home wins that Rayo have registered this campaign, a total only greater than AlmerĂa’s zero! Los Franjirrojos’ general struggles on their own patch in 2023/24 have also been part of a wider trend of them failing to fire in attack irrespective of the venue, as they were the division’s joint second-lowest scorers going into the weekend. [/p]
[p]AlmerĂa’s 3-1 defeat to Getafe last Saturday sealed their demotion to the Segunda DivisiĂłn, but the Andalusians may find a crumb of comfort in the fact that they can still avoid finishing bottom of the table, as they currently sit seven points adrift of 19th-placed Granada with five matches to play. [/p]
[p]Wins are essential though if AlmerĂa are to achieve that feat, and given that they have tasted victory in the league just once this term, their supporters can’t be that hopeful, particularly as Los Rojiblancos are on course for the joint-worst goals-conceded tally in Spain’s top flight recorded by any team during a single campaign since 2016/17. Their sole La Liga triumph this season did come away from the Power Horse Stadium against Las Palmas (1-0), forming part of an ongoing run of only four losses from their last ten games (D5). [/p]
[p]Players to watch: Centre-back Florian Lejeune may not be a prolific goalscorer, but he has found the net in two of Rayo’s last four home matches. Looking to cause him problems will be Choco Lozano, who scored before the break in AlmerĂa’s last two games (although both goals came in defeats). [/p]
[p]Hot stat: There has been a red card awarded in five of AlmerĂa’s last ten matches. [/p]