Rayo Vallecano vs Celta Vigo Preview: Team News & Prediction
by Alex Lawes ·
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Once again at Vallecas but without the ultras behind the goal due to a ban, Rayo Vallecano come up against Celta Vigo in the Spanish capital city on Saturday.
Kick-off date/time:
How to watch on TV: UK – Not televised / 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 – Cannot be streamed / USA – ESPN+
Rayo Vallecano preview: Trouble at Rayo
Rayo Vallecano supporters are continuing to protest the ownership and running of the club, which included getting their game against Athletic Club abandoned due to tennis balls being thrown onto the pitch a couple of weeks ago.
Without their ultras behind the goal at home to Elche last week, the game concluded but Rayo were hammered on the pitch as they succumbed to a 3-0 loss at home due to a couple of penalties and then a German Valera strike for Elche.
Celta Vigo preview: Busy Celta
Involvement in the UEFA Europa League is ensuring that Celta Vigo once again have a very busy schedule and, like last season, they have started steadily but perhaps with too many draws – six in ten in La Liga so far this season.
They once again drew in their most recent outing as they held in-form Real Betis to a goalless stalemate at Balaidos in Galicia, a few days after coming from behind to beat Celtic at Celtic Park in the league phase of the UEFA Europa League.
Rayo Vallecano team news: Sergio Camello a doubt
In-form striker Sergio Camello was forced off last week and is now a doubt for Rayo with Senegal international Pathe Ciss remaining unavailable due to suspension.
Predicted XI (4-3-3): Audero; Balliu, Lejeune, Sadick, Adria Pedrosa; Pablo Diaz, Oscar Valentin, Unai Lopez; Jorge de Frutos, Alemao, Isi Palazon
Unavailable: Augusto Batalla (Injured), Luiz Felipe (Injured), Ciss (Suspended)
Questionable: Ratiu (Fitness), Sergio Camello (Injured)
Celta Vigo team news: Alvaro Nunez out
Alvaro Nunez has now been ruled out for Celta due to a groin injury this weekend, sidelined alongside fellow key men such as Miguel Roman and FIFA World Cup 2026 winner Borja Iglesias.
Predicted XI (3-4-3): Radu; Javi Rodriguez, Yoel Lago, Marcos Alonso; Sergio Carreira, Aleix Febas, Ilaix Moriba, Javi Galan; Pablo Duran, Iago Aspas, Hugo Alvarez
Unavailable: Starfelt (Injured), Alvaro Nunez (Injured), Miguel Roman (Injured), El-Abdellaoui (Injured), Borja Iglesias (Injured)
Questionable:
Key stats
- Celta have never won at Rayo in 14 La Liga visits since 1997/98 (D4 L10), and Rayo have kept ten clean sheets in those games.
- No side has played more La Liga away games at Rayo without winning since 1997/98 than Celta's 14.
- Three of the last five La Liga meetings at Vallecas finished 0-0 (November 2021, November 2022 and December 2023).
- Rayo lead the overall head-to-head W15 D8 L5 in 28 La Liga meetings since 1997/98, but Celta won the most recent 3-0 on 18 January 2026.
- Celta's 6-1 home win on 11 April 2015 is the biggest win and highest-scoring game in the fixture since 1997/98.
- Coming into Matchweek 11, Rayo have nine points from nine games and are winless in three (D2 L1), while Celta have 12 points from ten.
- Rayo were beaten 3-0 by Elche last time out in their first home game of the season at Vallecas, having taken seven points from three home games at Butarque (W2 D1).
- Rayo have conceded in ten consecutive La Liga games since 23 May 2026, and their games this season have averaged 3.56 goals.
- Celta are unbeaten in seven La Liga games (W2 D5) since a 2-0 home defeat by Athletic Club on 30 August.
- Celta have drawn six of their ten games – more than any other La Liga side – and their matches have averaged just 1.70 goals, the lowest in the division.
- Celta have drawn all four away games this season, three of them 0-0, scoring only once, and have now drawn five consecutive away games – their longest such run since 1997/98.
- Only Athletic Club (six in eight games) have conceded fewer than Celta's seven goals this season.
‘Key stats’ are La Liga only (not all competitions)
Rayo Vallecano vs Celta Vigo prediction
That creditable draw with Betis last weekend has extended Celta’s improvement to just one defeat in their last six matches across all competitions as they move themselves back up the table. They head to a Rayo side that showed signs of life in the post-Inigo Perez era but pressure is growing on Benat San Jose as well as the hierarchy and siding with Celta would appear the way to go for this one.
Rayo Vallecano vs Celta Vigo tip: Double chance – Celta Vigo to win or draw
