Villarreal vs Rayo Vallecano Preview

Villarreal will welcome Rayo Vallecano to the Estadi Ciutat de València this Monday as both look to continue their quest to climb higher in the league table.

The hosts, who are sitting in fifth place, are currently chasing the top four while the ninth-placed visitors are looking to solidify their place in the top half.

With both teams already out of the Copa del Rey, they have had a full week to prepare for this clash. Villarreal are a team in form having won three of their four league games since the restart.

The Yellow Submarines are warm favorites here against an out-of-sorts Vallecano given their  impressive La Liga record as home favorites (W5, D1, L1). That record illustrates their ability to deliver in front of their own fanbase while four wins by a 2+ goal margin from their last four meetings with Vallecano across all competitions only serves to raise expectations here.

Meanwhile, Rayo Vallecano are out of form as they have lost three of their last five competitive games. The visitors have at times threatened to break into La Liga’s top six and return to European competition for the first time since 2000/01, with their win over Real Madrid and draws at Barcelona and Atlético Madrid being leading examples.

However, an inability to string together positive results since returning from the World Cup break has left them languishing in a mid-table position. They are now alarmingly four points behind where they were after 18 games in 2021/22 when eventually finished 12th.

Having had a week to prepare for this tie, they will be hoping to get back to their best shape and get a rare win at the Estadi Ciutat de València where they have lost their last seven visits.

Other fixtures taking place this week in the Spanish Primera Liga:

Spanish Primera Liga Table