La Liga: Barcelona vs Rayo Vallecano Live
Preview: Barcelona vs Rayo Vallecano
Barcelona vs Rayo Vallecano will come off on Sunday at 5:00pm at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys as Barca aim to solidify their position in second place in the La Liga standings in their second-to-last match of the season. Xavi’s team currently holds the second spot, with a four-point lead over third-placed Girona, while Rayo is in 15th place, six points ahead of 18th-placed Cadiz and with a significantly better goal difference.
Barca marked Xavi’s 100th La Liga game as manager with a 2-0 victory over Almería, putting them in a strong position to secure a second-place finish. They are just one win away from securing the runners-up spot and a spot in next season’s Super Cup. However, their upcoming match against Rayo, a team they have struggled against in their last five league meetings, is expected to be challenging. Despite this, Barca’s recent strong form at home, with six wins in their last seven matches across all competitions, is promising. Their five consecutive home league wins, four of which were accompanied by clean sheets, indicate a positive trend for Barca.
Despite losing a player early in the game against Granada, Rayo Vallecano managed to win 2-1 and are now close to securing safety. Iñigo Pérez’s team is six points above the relegation zone with two matches remaining, giving them some room to aim for consecutive victories for the first time since the start of the season. Scoring more goals will be crucial for Rayo, as they have only scored multiple goals in three of their last 17 matches. Rayo has struggled away from home, failing to win in their last eight league matches and failing to score in six of those games, including their last goalless away match against the same opponent.
Head-to-head
The most recent match between the two teams ended in a 1-1 draw, which was only the second time in their last six meetings that both teams scored. Barcelona has won four of their last six home games against Rayo Vallecano and managed to keep a clean sheet in the most recent one.
Prediction
Rayo has a strong recent history against Barcelona, so it wouldn’t be shocking if they achieve another good outcome this weekend. Despite their final two matches, Rayo is likely to secure their place in the division. However, we anticipate Barcelona will secure a win on Sunday.
