Relegation-threatened Rayo Vallecano will be bidding to boost their La Liga survival hopes when they welcome Getafe to Campo de Futbol de Vallecas on Saturday afternoon.
The home side are currently 16th in the La Liga table, only five points outside of the relegation zone, while Getafe occupy 11th, boasting 38 points from their 30 matches this term.
Match preview
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Inigo Perez has made Rayo more difficult to beat since becoming the club's new head coach in the middle of February, boasting a record of one win, three draws and two defeats from his six matches at the helm.
Los Franjirrojos remain very much in the relegation mix heading for the final straight, though, with the team currently 16th in the table, just five points ahead of 18th-placed Cadiz.
Rayo are only two points behind Alaves in 13th, so the picture could change quite quickly, and the capital side will bring a two-game unbeaten run into this match, picking up four points in the process.
Perez's team were 2-0 winners over Real Betis in their last match in front of their own fans on March 17, before ending last month with a welcome point away to fellow strugglers Celta Vigo.
Rayo, who have finished 12th and 11th in their last two La Liga campaigns, have the third-worst home record in Spain's top flight this season, picking up only 13 points from 14 matches.
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Getafe have not exactly travelled well this season, though, only winning one of their 15 away games in La Liga, picking up just 10 points in the process.
The Deep Blue Ones have seen their form tail off in recent weeks, losing three of their last five league matches, recording just one victory in the process, which was a 1-0 success over Girona on March 16.
Jose Bordalas's side will enter this game off the back of a 1-0 defeat to Sevilla, and their attacking output has unsurprisingly suffered since leading goalscorer Borja Mayoral picked up a knee injury on March 2.
Getafe are currently 11th in the table, boasting a record of nine wins, 11 draws and 10 defeats from their 30 matches, which has seen them pick up 38 points.
The capital side are only one point off ninth-placed Osasuna and just four from Real Betis in eighth, so it could still be a strong season for the club.
Getafe have not managed to overcome Rayo in Spain's top flight since February 2019, though, and they suffered a 2-0 defeat when the two teams locked horns for the reverse match in January.
Team News
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Rayo will definitely be without the services of three players for this contest, with Radamel Falcao, Alvaro Garcia and Diego Mendez on the sidelines due to injury problems.
Kike Perez is also a major doubt for the home side on Saturday due to a rib issue, but Florian Lejeune and Raul de Tomas will be back in the squad after missing out against Celta due to suspensions.
Head coach Perez could potentially bolster his midfield and select a 4-3-3 formation, with Jorge de Frutos and Isi Palazon likely to support Sergio Camello in the final third of the field.
As for Getafe, Mayoral, as mentioned, is a long-term absentee due to a severe knee injury, with the 15-goal striker leaving a gaping hole in the final third of the field.
Domingos Duarte and Mauro Arambarri are also on the sidelines through injury, while Carles Alena is suspended due to the milestone booking that he picked up in the home loss to Sevilla last time out.
Bordalas is unlikely to make many changes despite the disappointment of the result last time out, but there could be an alteration at right-back, with Jose Angel Carmona potentially coming into the side.
Rayo Vallecano possible starting lineup:
Dimitrievski; Balliu, Mumin, Lejeune, Chavarria; U Lopez, Valentin, Ciss; De Frutos, Camello, Palazon
Getafe possible starting lineup:
Soria; Carmona, Dakonam, Alderete, Alvarez; Greenwood, Milla, Santiago, Moriba, Maksimovic; O Rodriguez
We say: Rayo Vallecano 1-1 Getafe
Three of the last four La Liga meetings between these two teams have finished level, including a 0-0 draw when they last locked horns at the home of Rayo.
Getafe only have one away win this term, while Rayo have just two victories at home, so we have had to settle on a share of the spoils here.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Matt Law
