The Matchday 5 La Liga clash between Rayo Vallecano and Celta will take place on September 21 at the Campo de Vallecas Stadium in Madrid. Rayo Vallecano vs. Celta: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Rayo Vallecano
The Madrid side has so far secured only one victory, which came in the first round against Girona (3-1). They then faced tougher opponents and managed to earn just one point from three matches. However, they did draw with Barcelona (1-1). In the other two away games, Iñigo Pérez's team lost to Athletic (0-1) and Osasuna (0-2). With 4 points, the club is currently in 13th place.
- Rayo Vallecano has not lost in 7 of their last 9 La Liga matches (4 wins and 3 draws).
- No more than two goals have been scored in 7 of Rayo Vallecano's last 10 home games in the league.
- The team has drawn 6 of their last 8 home matches in La Liga.
Predicted lineup for Rayo Vallecano (4-5-1)
Augusto Batalla – Florian Lejeune, Andrei Ratiu, Luis Felipe, Pep Chavarria – Pathé Ciss, Isi Palazon, Pedro Diaz, Unai Lopez, Alvaro Garcia – Jorge de Frutos.
Celta
Claudio Giraldez's side has yet to secure a victory in the new championship. In the first round, they lost at home to Getafe (0-2), followed by a series of four draws, all with a 1-1 scoreline. In their last match, the Galicians could have lost, but managed to snatch a draw in the 92nd minute with a penalty against Girona at home. With 4 points, the team is currently in 14th place, having played one more match.
- No more than two goals have been scored in Celta's last 7 La Liga matches.
- The team has not scored more than one goal in their last 7 league matches.
- The Galicians have not lost in the second half in 9 of their last 11 away La Liga matches (5 wins and 4 draws).
Predicted lineup for Celta (4-3-3)
Andrei Radu – Carlos Dominguez, Sergio Carreira, Xavi Rodriguez, Oscar Mingueza – Manu Fernandez, Ilaix Moriba, Hugo Sotelo – Iago Aspas, Ferran Jutgla, Pablo Duran.
Rayo Vallecano vs. Celta: Match Prediction
I do not expect high scoring or a confident victory from either team in the upcoming match. The game is likely to be concentrated in the midfield with minimal threats to the opponent's goal. At the start of the season, both clubs have not impressed with their performance and spectacle, averaging no more than one goal per match.
In 3 of the last 4 head-to-head meetings held in Madrid within the league, there was a draw, often goalless. Looking at the Galicians' results, it's quite likely that this time too, a compromise or a single goal could decide the outcome. Rayo Vallecano has also frequently drawn at home, and in 8 of their last 10 home games in La Liga, they have not scored more than one goal. Therefore, two goals are the maximum that opponents might surprise us with in this encounter.
My prediction: Total under 2.5 goals