Rayo Vallecano will be looking to triumph in La Liga for the first time since the start of February when they welcome Girona to Estadio de Vallecas on Saturday afternoon.
The home side will enter the contest off the back of a 3-0 defeat at Celta Vigo, while Girona suffered a 1-0 loss to Atletico Madrid in their last game in Spain's top flight.
Match preview
© Reuters
Rayo remain very much in the hunt for a top-six finish this season, currently sitting seventh in the table, three points behind sixth-placed Villarreal on the same number of matches (25).
However, the capital outfit's recent form has seen them lose valuable ground, with Andoni Iraola's side failing to win any of their last five matches, suffering two defeats in the process.
Rayo will enter this contest off the back of a 3-0 defeat at Celta Vigo, with their last success in Spain's top flight proving to be the 2-0 home success over Almeria at the start of February.
Los Vallecanos remain on course for their highest-ever finish at this level of football, though, with the team looking to beat eighth from the 2012-13 campaign.
Rayo have picked up 19 points from their 12 home league games this season, and they will be hosting a Girona side that have collected just nine points from their 12 matches away from their own stadium.
© Reuters
Girona were 2-0 winners over Rayo when the two teams last met in Madrid in La Liga, with the fixture taking place in March 2019, while the points were shared in a 2-2 draw earlier this season.
The White and Reds were promoted back to the top flight through the 2021-22 Segunda Division playoffs, so their main aim for this season is to stay in the division.
Michel's side have picked up 30 points from their 25 matches courtesy of a record of eight wins, six draws and 11 defeats, and they are four points ahead of the relegation zone heading into the next set of fixtures.
Girona recorded back-to-back wins over Almeria and Athletic Bilbao towards the end of February, but they have lost both their league games in March, going down 3-2 at Getafe before losing 1-0 at home to Atletico last time out, with Alvaro Morata netting the only goal of the match in second-half stoppage time.
Michel's team have two huge games against Catalan rivals Espanyol and Barcelona after this game, which strengthens the need to pick up a positive result on Saturday against Rayo.
Team News
© Reuters
Rayo will again be without the services of Esteban Saveljich due to an ankle problem, while Ivan Balliu is suspended due to the booking that he picked up in the defeat to Celta.
Head coach Iraola is likely to resist the temptation to make wholesale changes from the side that started the three-goal loss last time out, but Oscar Valentin, Sergio Camello and Mario Hernandez could come into the XI.
Radamel Falcao is also an option through the middle, but it seems likely that Camello will lead the attack for the home side, with Falcao starting on the bench alongside Raul de Tomas.
As for Girona, Joel Roca, Alexander Callens, Yangel Herrera, Yan Couto and Ibrahima Kebe will again be absent on Saturday due to injury problems.
The visitors did not pick up any fresh fitness issues against Atletico, though, and it would therefore not be a surprise to see the same XI considering the performance.
Valentin Castellanos has scored six La Liga goals during the 2022-23 campaign, and the 24-year-old should lead the line with support from Rodrigo Riquelme and Viktor Tsygankov in the wide positions.
Rayo Vallecano possible starting lineup:
Dimitrievski; Hernandez, Lejeune, Catena, F Garcia; Ciss, Valentin; Palazon, Trejo, A Garcia; Camello
Girona possible starting lineup:
Gazzaniga; A Martinez, Bueno, D Lopez, Gutierrez; Romeu, A Garcia, B Garcia; Tsygankov, Castellanos, Riquelme
We say: Rayo Vallecano 1-0 Girona
Rayo are certainly due a victory, having gone five matches without a success in Spain's top flight, and we are backing that success to arrive this weekend. Girona have lost seven of their 12 away league games this term and that could become eight defeats from 13 on Saturday afternoon.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
