The Matchday 25 clash in La Liga between Rayo Vallecano and Villarreal will take place on February 22 at the Campo de Vallecas Stadium in Madrid. Rayo Vallecano vs. Villarreal: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Rayo Vallecano
The Madrid side had an impressive unbeaten run in the league, securing 5 wins and 4 draws. However, this streak ended in the last round when Iñigo Pérez's men suffered a 0-1 away defeat to Barcelona, with the only goal coming from a penalty. The team remains in sixth place, but their lead over the nearest competitor has shrunk to just one point.
- The number "1" has appeared in the final scoreline in eight of Rayo Vallecano's last league matches.
- No more than two goals have been scored in 6 of the last 8 league games for the Madrid side.
- The team has avoided defeat in the second half in 9 of their last 10 La Liga matches (5 wins and 4 draws).
Predicted lineup for Rayo Vallecano (4-2-3-1)
Augusto Batalla – Florian Lejeune, Andrei Ratiu, Pep Chavarría, Abdul Mumin – Pathé Ciss, Pedro Díaz – Jorge de Frutos, Isi Palazón, Álvaro García – Randy Nteka.
Villarreal
The Valencian side unexpectedly stumbled against Valencia in the last round, failing to defeat the underdog at home (1-1). Nevertheless, the club is unbeaten in their last five La Liga matches (3 wins and 2 draws). They continue to hold the fifth spot in the standings, with a four-point gap from the Champions League zone. Notably, only Real Madrid and Barcelona have scored more than Villarreal in this La Liga season.
- The number "1" has appeared in the final scoreline in 7 of Villarreal's last 9 league matches.
- No more than three goals have been scored in 7 of Villarreal's last 10 La Liga games.
- The team has avoided defeat in the first half in their last eight league matches (4 wins and 4 draws).
Predicted lineup for Villarreal (4-4-2)
Diego Conde – Sergi Cardona, Logan Costa, Pau Navarro, Juan Foyth – Yeremy Pino, Dani Parejo, Alex Baena, Pape Gueye – Ayoze Pérez, Nicolas Pépé.
Midfielder Ilias Akhomach and forward Alfonso Pedraza will miss the match due to injuries.
Referee
Víctor García Verdura (Spain)
Matches – 11 (La Liga, 2024/25);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 52;
Average yellow cards per match – 4.7;
Red cards shown – 0;
Average fouls per match – 27;
Penalties – 45%.
Rayo Vallecano vs. Villarreal: Match Prediction
This is a very challenging match to predict. Both teams have been in great form, and it's no surprise they are close in the league table within the European competition zone. Rayo Vallecano has lost three home matches in La Liga this season, with only the game against Las Palmas being a poor performance. Villarreal has also lost three away matches in this championship, struggling against stronger opponents, with the loss in San Sebastián being a notable setback.
In a clash of evenly matched teams, I give a slight edge to the home side. Rayo Vallecano has won three of their last four home games in La Liga, with a draw against Real Madrid. Meanwhile, Villarreal has only secured two wins in their last six away league matches (2 draws and 2 losses). Notably, in the last six head-to-head encounters in Madrid within La Liga, Villarreal has managed just one victory (2 draws and 3 losses).
My prediction – “Rayo Vallecano win or draw”
* The starting lineup for each team reflects their lineup in the previous match of this tournament.
