Rayo Vallecano vs Alaves Preview: Team News & Prediction
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These two sides started the 2026-27 La Liga season in very different fashion as Rayo Vallecano now welcome Deportivo Alaves to Vallecas in Madrid on Thursday.
Kick-off date/time:
How to watch on TV: UK – Premier Sports / USA – ESPN have the exclusive rights to La Liga games in the USA, so any game may be televised on one of their affiliated channels
How to watch online: UK – Premier Player / USA – ESPN+
Rayo Vallecano preview: Beaten on opening day
Rayo Vallecano began their season with Alvaro Garcia punishing a Sevilla defensive mix up to go ahead early on. They then succumbed to a 2-1 loss with two second half penalties, the second definitely being debatable, despite Sevilla going down to ten men.
Benat San Jose replaced Inigo Perez over the summer with Rayo’s woeful running of the club off the pitch hidden by the performance of the now Villarreal boss in recent seasons – and the pressure is on Benat San Jose to maintain that this year.
Alaves preview: Exploiting ten men
Quique Sanchez Flores and his Deportivo Alaves side began the season with a 3-0 hammering of Getafe at Mendizarrozza in Vitoria-Gasleiz on the opening day with the Basque outfit punishing Kiko Femenia’s first half red card with three second half goals, two of which being scored in second half stoppage-time.
The Basques steered themselves clear of the bottom three and the relegation places last season after the appointment of Quique Sanchez Flores, who also managed to make them more entertaining to watch for the neutral, too.
Rayo Vallecano team news: Defensive issues
The sales of Pep Chavarria to Chelsea and Nobel Mendy to Hull City and an injury to Luiz Felipe leaves Rayo short at the back. They do still boast their array of key attacking stars such as Isi Palazon, Jorge de Frutos and the aforementioned Alvaro Garcia.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Augusto Batalla; Ratiu, Ciss, Lejeune, Balliu; Unai Lopez, Oscar Valentin; Jorge de Frutos, Isi Palazon, Alvaro Garcia; Nteka
Unavailable: Luiz Felipe (Injured)
Questionable:
Alaves team news: Mariano pushing for a start
Having signed from Fiorentina this summer, Nicolas Valentini has served a suspension that bled into this season from Serie A. Mariano Diaz will also be pushing for a start after the inconsistent former Real Madrid man was superb with a goal and assist late on against Getafe.
Predicted XI (3-5-2): Antonio Sivera; Tenaglia, Valentini, Jonny; Angel Perez, Pablo Ibanez, Antonio Blanco, Denis Suarez, Rebbach; Toni Martinez, Mariano
Unavailable: Garces (Disciplinary), Boye (Injured)
Questionable:
Rayo Vallecano vs Alaves prediction
While Rayo were unfortunate with decisions made by the referee last week, their performance remained underwhelming and a defeat was perhaps the fairer of the three results, which will be concerning against a ten-man Sevilla side that have been woeful in recent seasons. Alaves benefitted from Getafe going down to ten men but they showed they could punish any gaps left by a defence, and the attacking way in which Rayo play would suggest those gaps will appear again at Vallecas. As a result, siding with the visitors would appear a good value bet here.
Rayo Vallecano vs Alaves tip: Double chance – Alaves to win or draw
