AEK Athens vs Rayo Vallecano Preview & Prediction | 2025-26 UEFA Conference League | Quarter-Final

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AEK Athens weren’t too poor last week but they were blown away on the scoreline by Rayo Vallecano as they now welcome the Spaniards to the Greek capital city.

Kick-off date/time:

How to watch on TV: UK – TNT Sports / USA – Not televised

How to watch online: UK – HBO Max / USA – Paramount+

Key stats

• The first leg was the first UEFA meeting between the two sides, and it also marked Rayo Vallecano’s first encounter with Greek opposition.
• AEK Athens are winless in their last 16 UEFA matches against Spanish clubs (D5 L11). Their most recent victory came in the 1988/89 UEFA Cup first round, a 1-0 home win against Athletic Club.
• AEK Athens have lost all their six UEFA two-legged ties against Spanish clubs.
• AEK Athens have won just one of their four previous UEFA quarter‑final ties — a penalty‑shootout victory over Queens Park Rangers in the 1976/77 UEFA Cup, their only previous UEFA Cup/Europa League quarter‑final.
• This is AEK’s first quarter-final in a UEFA competition since the 1997/98 European Cup Winners’ Cup, when they were eliminated by Lokomotiv Moskva.
• AEK Athens have won their last four UEFA two‑legged ties — all of them coming this season.
• AEK Athens have lost their last two UEFA Conference League matches without scoring a goal.
• AEK Athens have won just one of the seven previous UEFA two‑legged ties in which they lost the first leg by a three‑goal margin. That sole success came in the 1976/77 UEFA Cup against Queens Park Rangers— their only previous UEFA Cup/Europa League quarter‑final — when they overturned a 3-0 first‑leg away defeat to level the tie 3-3 on aggregate and progress via a penalty shoot‑out.
• Rayo Vallecano have reached their second UEFA quarter‑final in only their second season of European competition. Their previous appearance came in the 2000/01 UEFA Cup, where they were beaten 4-2 on aggregate by Alavés in the last eight.
• Rayo Vallecano have won seven of their eight previous UEFA two-legged ties.
• Rayo Vallecano have lost only two of their last 12 UEFA matches (W9 D1).
• Rayo Vallecano have scored two or more goals in eight of their last ten UEFA matches.
• Rayo Vallecano have won all six UEFA two‑legged ties in which they won the first leg.

AEK Athens vs Rayo Vallecano prediction

The first-leg of this UEFA Europa Conference League quarter-final tie saw Rayo Vallecano hammer AEK Athens by three goals to nil at Vallecas in Madrid, courtesy of strikes from Ilias Akhomach, Unai Lopez and Isi Palazon.

Rayo have established themselves in the middle-of-the-table in La Liga, perhaps best shown by their heavy rotation in a 3-0 loss to Real Mallorca at the weekend, while AEK had the week off as they challenge for the Greek Super League title ahead of PAOK Salonika, Olympiacos and Panathinaikos.

AEK will be expected to mount a challenge back in Athens but that should open the door for a slick Rayo side on the counter-attack at the OPAP Arena.

AEK Athens vs Rayo Vallecano tip: Both teams to score