Rayo Vallecano take on the visitors Espanyol in the round 33 match of Spanish LaLiga. The match will be played on Thursday, April 23rd at Campo de Futbol de Vallecas (Madrid).
Rayo Vallecano are having a respectable season. “Los Franjirrojos,” despite chronic financial difficulties (this season even saw a match postponed due to infrastructure issues and the threat of a technical defeat), have gradually secured their status as a solid mid-table side in La Liga. A year ago, they even finished 8th, collecting 52 points and edging CA Osasuna on tiebreakers. Their recent form shows a team capable of competing on multiple fronts, even if results fluctuate from match to match. They have been particularly effective in decisive moments, managing to convert key opportunities. That was enough to qualify for the UEFA Europa Conference League, where, after starting from summer qualifiers, they reached the quarter-finals and secured the required result against AEK Athens FC by crushing the experienced Greeks in the first leg. At the same time, their domestic form dipped slightly, though not enough to risk relegation. After the international break, they beat Elche CF, but in the last round they suffered an unexpected 0–3 defeat to RCD Mallorca.
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Espanyol were playing in the Segunda not long ago, but Manolo González managed to bring them straight back up, and they secured 42 points in La Liga, finishing safely above the relegation zone. Their recent form has been extremely poor, with the team unable to secure a single victory throughout the year. They have looked ineffective in attack and vulnerable defensively, which has led to a prolonged winless run. In the new campaign, the Catalans initially surprised by climbing to 5th place, but everything changed sharply after Christmas and New Year — in 2026 they have not managed to beat anyone, not even newly promoted sides like Real Oviedo. In the last round, against champions FC Barcelona, they managed only a consolation goal, conceding four in return.
The 1–0 win in December marked the fourth consecutive victory for Espanyol over this opponent. The hosts still need points, as the relegation battle in Spain is tightening again. It is better to secure a win now, during a break in European competitions — backing Rayo Vallecano to get the job done looks like the right call.
Prediction for the match: Rayo Vallecano to win.
