Rayo Vallecano vs AEK Athens Preview & Prediction | 2025-26 UEFA Conference League | Quarter-Final
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Rayo Vallecano have done extremely well this season as they now welcome AEK Athens to Vallecas for this European quarter-final on Thursday evening.
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
- This is the first UEFA meeting between the two sides, and it also marks Rayo Vallecano’s first encounter with Greek opposition.
- 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 won the first leg in six of their eight previous UEFA two-legged ties (D1 L1).
- Rayo Vallecano’s 1-0 second‑leg defeat to Samsunspor in the round of 16 was their first home loss in UEFA competition, having previously recorded nine wins and one draw in their opening ten home matches.
- AEK Athens are winless in their last 15 UEFA matches against Spanish clubs (D5 L10). Their most recent victory came in the 1988/89 UEFA Cup first round, a 1-0 home win against Athletic Club.
- AEK Athens have never won away to Spanish opposition in UEFA competition, recording two draws and seven defeats in nine encounters.
- 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 three UEFA Conference League away matches.
- AEK Athens have lost only two of their last 15 UEFA matches (W9 D4). They had won four in a row before their 2-0 home defeat to Celje in the second leg of the round of 16.
- AEK Athens have won their last four UEFA two‑legged ties — all of them coming this season.
Rayo Vallecano vs AEK Athens prediction
Inigo Perez may well depart Rayo Vallecano this summer but he has done an excellent job at leading the hosts into a mid-table position as well as to their first ever quarter-final in European competitions as they get set to welcome AEK to Madrid in the UEFA Europa Conference League this midweek.
AEK Athens come into this one on the back of a 4-2 aggregate victory over Celje in the round of 16 last month. A second-leg consolation win for the Slovenians in that tie, when already 4-0 down, is AEK's only defeat in their last 13 matches across all competitions.
AEK will believe they can expose the high-line of Rayo but the chances created in such a hostile home atmosphere should ensure it remains a close contest and potentially a good watch for the neutral.
Rayo Vallecano vs AEK Athens tip: Both teams to score
