08
Oct
Lens hosts Lyon in a Matchday 6 fixture of the French Ligue 1. The game is scheduled for Friday, October 9, at 21:45.
Rayo Vallecano hosts Espanyol in a game from the 32nd round of the Spanish La Liga. The match will be played on April 23, Thursday, at 19:00 UK Time, with the hosts being favorites to win.
Form of both teams
Having qualified for the semifinals of the Conference League, the Rayo Vallecano team often loses focus in La Liga due to the European battles. And the hosts are in 15th place in the standings with 35 points - quite close to the relegation zone. Rayo Vallecano enters the match with a not very consistent form - 4 wins, 2 draws and 4 losses in the last 10 matches. The team shows strong games at home, where it has 3 wins in the last 5 matches, including the convincing 3:0 against Real Oviedo and the success over AEK Athens in Europe.
Espanyol is in 12th place with three points more than its rival. A win on Thursday night will send the Catalans two places ahead in the standings. The Catalan team is also not impressive with a stable form. Only 1 win in the last 10 matches shows serious problems, especially in defensive terms. The 1:4 loss to Barcelona, ​​as well as the defeats to Villarreal (1:4) and Atletico Madrid (2:4), highlight the weaknesses in the defense. But I must note that Espanyol almost always manages to score. The 2:2 draws against Elche and Celta Vigo, as well as the goals against stronger opponents, show that the team plays well in attack.
Prediction for Rayo Vallecano - Espanyol
As a guest, Espanyol plays more openly and often participates in productive duels. This can continue against the Rayo team, which also prefers an attacking style. The expectations are for an equal match with chances in front of both goals. Rayo will look for the initiative, while Espanyol will rely on quick attacks and mistakes in the home defense. Both teams have problems in defense, but at the same time they have enough potential in attack and I think they will score goals.
