Girona will be aiming to bounce back from successive defeats when they resume their La Liga campaign away to Rayo Vallecano on Sunday.
The visitors are currently eighth in the La Liga table, boasting 28 points from their opening 20 matches of the campaign, while Rayo have 26 points from their first 20 games, which has left them in ninth.
Match preview
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Rayo finished a disappointing 17th in La Liga last term, so there was plenty of room for improvement during the 2024-25 campaign, and it has been a solid season to date for the capital outfit.
Inigo Perez's side have a record of six wins, eight draws and six defeats from their 20 league matches, which has left them in ninth spot in the division on 26 points, only four points behind sixth-placed Mallorca in the race for the European spots.
Rayo are seven points clear of the relegation zone, meanwhile, and they have only been beaten in one of their last nine matches in all competitions, which was a 3-1 reverse to Real Sociedad in the last-16 stage of the Copa del Rey.
Los Franjirrojos are without a defeat in their last six league matches, including a 1-1 draw with Osasuna last time out, while they beat Celta Vigo 2-1 in their last fixture in front of their own supporters.
Rayo have only picked up 12 points from their nine league games on home soil this term, though, and they will be welcoming a Girona outfit that have avoided defeat in six of their 10 away La Liga fixtures in 2024-25.
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Girona will enter this contest off the back of a 1-0 defeat to AC Milan in the Champions League on Wednesday night, with the result leaving them down in 31st spot in the overall table, only picking up three points from seven matches.
It has been a struggle for the Catalan outfit in Europe this term, but the fact that they are even competing at that level is incredible, and it is a historic campaign for the team, who finished third in Spain's top flight last term.
Michel's side have found it difficult to match last season's heroics, but a respectable La Liga campaign has seen them pick up 28 points from 20 matches, which has left them in eighth, just two points behind sixth-placed Mallorca.
The White and Reds were also beaten 2-1 at home by Sevilla in the league last weekend, so it has not been a happy start to 2025, and the visitors will not have had long to prepare for this contest.
Girona actually did the double over Rayo last term, winning 2-1 away and 3-0 at home, but the points were shared in a goalless draw when the two teams locked horns in the reverse match earlier this season.
Team News
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Rayo will again be without the services of Raul de Tomas and Joni Montiel, but Pathe Ciss will be back in the squad after serving a suspension in the 1-1 draw with Osasuna last time out.
Ciss for Unai Lopez may be the only change from the side that took to the field for the first whistle against Osasuna, with Sergio Camello set to continue in the final third of the field following his goal last time out.
Jorge de Frutos, Adri Embarba and Isi Palazon should also retain their attacking roles, with Alvaro Garcia and Randy Nteka likely to be named among the substitutes for the first whistle on Sunday.
As for Girona, Bojan Miovski and Miguel Gutierrez remain major doubts due to muscular problems, but the visitors, who have had a number of injury issues this term, are otherwise in strong shape.
Head coach Michel will make changes to the side that took to the field for the first whistle against Milan in the Champions League, with Arnau Martinez, Ivan Martin and Yaser Asprilla expected to be back in the XI.
Abel Ruiz should continue in the final third, though, with Arnaut Danjuma, Portu and Cristhian Stuani likely to be on the bench.
Rayo Vallecano possible starting lineup:
Batalla; Ratiu, Lejeune, Mumin, Chavarria; De Frutos, Valentin, Ciss, Embarba; Palazon, Camello
Girona possible starting lineup:
Gazzaniga; A Martinez, D Lopez, Krejci, Blind; Romeu, Martin; Tsyhankov, Asprilla, Gil; Ruiz
We say: Rayo Vallecano 1-1 Girona
Rayo have shared the points on three occasions at home this season, while Girona have three away draws to their name, and we are predicting another stalemate here; Rayo will certainly be the fresher of the two teams, but we are expecting Girona to be good enough to avoid defeat in the capital on Sunday.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Matt Law
