Rayo Vallecano take on the visitors Levante in the round 28 match of Spanish LaLiga. The match will be played on Monday, March 16th at Campo de Futbol de Vallecas (Madrid).
Rayo Vallecano have in some ways become hostages of their own success. Last season they finished 8th with 52 points (although Osasuna had the same total — Rayo finished ahead on tiebreakers). As a result, they qualified for the UEFA Europa Conference League. Recently the tight schedule has clearly affected their league performances, as the team has had little time to recover between matches. Still, even with fatigue accumulating, Rayo have managed to remain competitive in most games and avoid long losing streaks. The Spanish side started their European campaign from the summer qualification rounds, and now in the playoffs they confidently defeated Samsunspor 3–1 in the first leg earlier this week. Of course, the lack of experience at this level has taken its toll — their domestic form has dipped. Their rather outdated infrastructure has also caused issues — even one of their matches had to be postponed. Nevertheless, in that rescheduled game they managed to beat Real Oviedo. Against other recent opponents, including Athletic Bilbao and Sevilla, they at least secured draws — gradually moving further away from the relegation zone by collecting points.
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Levante look almost doomed. The Frogs even have some experience in European competitions — a one-time appearance, but a successful one. However, after another relegation they remained stuck in the Segunda División for quite a long time. They finally earned promotion again at the end of the 2024/2025 season, but soon after that the coach behind that success, Calero, was dismissed. Recently Levante have struggled for consistency, and defeats have often outweighed positive results in the league. Their away performances have also been particularly problematic, which is why the team remains near the bottom of the table. The new permanent manager, Luís Castro, initially sparked an improvement, as the team suffered only one defeat in six rounds between late December and January. But from February they once again began losing regularly, although the schedule for the newcomer was quite difficult. Only in the most recent rounds have there been signs of recovery, showing that the team has not given up yet and continues to fight: they even managed to beat Alavés, and drew with Girona.
In the last seven meetings the clubs are level, with three wins each. But when they faced each other again after a three-year break, it was the visitors from Madrid who won, even away from home. A home win is expected in Madrid, but the hosts will once again have their energy drained by European competition, while the visitors will fight hard for points. A good option to consider here is a bet on both teams to score.
Prediction for the match: Both teams to score – yes.
