Espanyol vs Rayo Vallecano Betting Tips and Predictions

This is a real relegation six-pointer with both sides hovering nervously above the relegation zone going into the weekend. Espanyol are 2 points better off than Rayo Vallecano but it is the Madrid club that are in the better form. Rayo had gone 7 matches unbeaten prior to their 5-1 defeat against Barcelona on Thursday and given the quality of the opposition and the fact that they had 2 players sent off, we probably shouldn’t read too much into that. Their last two away games have seen them pick up important points in relegation scraps against Real Betis and Sporting Gijon and they’d most likely settle for a repeat here.

Espanyol had gone 10 games without a win in all competitions and had suffered some heavy defeats heading into mid February. However a 4-2 win at Sporting Gijon and 1-0 home win over Deportivo lifted some of the gloom. A home game with Real Betis on Thursday gave them the chance to move clear of trouble but they suffered a crushing 3-0 defeat and once again looked like a team in deep trouble.

Anyone who has been following La Liga over the past few seasons will know that matches involving Rayo generally mean goals. There have been 95 goals in their 27 matches so far this season and their away matches average out at 4.08 goals per game. This match sees the two worst defences in the league meet and both teams have one or two dangerous attacking players so goals should be the result. Therefore consider backing there to be over 2.5 goals at 8/11.