- 1 Rayo Vallecano vs Alaves: looking for payback after a brutal twist
- 2 Rayo Vallecano: solid enough despite the opening defeat
- 3 Alaves: flying start, but a familiar weakness away from home
- 4 La Liga prediction Rayo Vallecano vs Alaves
- 5 First, a word on our free picks
- 6 No commitment from us
- 7 Information changes
- 8 Your responsibility
- 9 Responsible gambling first
- 10 Legal age
- 11 About the images…
Rayo Vallecano vs Alaves: looking for payback after a brutal twist 
The second round of La Liga serves up a mid-table clash worth a closer look on Thursday 20 August at 21:00. Rayo Vallecano kick off at home against Deportivo Alaves, still hunting their first points on home turf.
The Madrid side arrive with a sour taste after their trip to Seville. They struck first through Alvaro Garcia in the fourth minute, only to be dragged into a ridiculous finish.
Jon Guridi levelled from the spot in the 52nd minute, then a second penalty deep into stoppage time handed Sevilla the win, moments after they had been reduced to 10 men. That 2-1 loss will sting Beñat San Jose and his players for a while yet.
Alaves come in feeling very differently. The Basque side were well on top against Getafe in their opener, making the most of Kiko Femenia’s red card just before the break to score three times in the second half.
Quique Sanchez Flores has therefore made a strong start to the season and can lean on a squad that is almost at full strength. The contrast with Madrid’s opening night could hardly be sharper.
Last season’s numbers, though, still tell you where these two clubs stand. Rayo finished eighth with 50 points, while Alaves had to make do with 14th and 43.
The recent head-to-head record is even kinder to the Madrid side, who have won four of the last five meetings. Better still, they have taken each of their last four home games against Alaves without conceding.
Rayo Vallecano: solid enough despite the opening defeat 
Rayo Vallecano ended last season in eighth with 50 points on the board. For a club with a modest budget, that was a very decent return.
They scored 41 and shipped 44 across the campaign. Those numbers point to a side with balance, more dependable than dazzling.
The defeat in Seville did not really change that picture. Rayo led the game and only gave way to two penalties, one of them in stoppage time.
Their real strength in this matchup is what they do at home against this opponent. Four straight visits from Alaves have ended in Rayo wins, with not a single goal conceded.
The last meeting between the clubs came in May, when the Madrid side won 2-1 away. That result completed the league double.
The summer window has, though, weakened the squad, with important sales in defence. Chelsea paid around 16.3 million pounds for full-back Pep Chavarria.
Hull City then moved for defender Nobel Mendy for 19.7 million pounds. Beñat San Jose is now working with a back line that has been heavily reshaped.
The injury list is not helping either, with Luiz Felipe ruled out for around four months because of a hamstring problem. Marash Kumbulla is also a doubt and could miss out.
Augusto Batalla is expected to keep his place in goal despite the Seville setback. His presence at least gives some stability to a back four still finding its feet.
Up front, Sergio Camello will be the man asked to finish off the chances created by Palazon and Alvaro Garcia. That trio holds the key to Rayo’s attacking output.
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Alaves: flying start, but a familiar weakness away from home 
Alaves could hardly have asked for a better opening, beating Getafe in convincing fashion. Kiko Femenia’s dismissal just before half-time obviously made life easier for the Basques.
Three goals after the break gave them three points and a healthy dose of confidence. That’s the kind of result that matters for a team aiming to stay up.
Last season, though, was a grind, ending with a 14th-place finish and 43 points. The defence in particular leaked 56 goals over the campaign.
Their away form remains the real problem. Alaves won only four times on the road last season and lost 11.
That record matters even more ahead of a trip to a ground where Rayo have beaten them four home games in a row. The Basque club have not won there since 2018, when they ran out 5-1 winners.
Still, Quique Sanchez Flores has a full squad to choose from, which is a rare bonus this early in the season. Lucas Boye is back from injury and offers another option.
The story of the weekend was Mariano Diaz, who came off the bench in the 57th minute against Getafe. The forward scored and set up the other two goals.
That outing carried extra weight given he had gone four La Liga seasons without finding the net. His introduction turned the match on its head.
The Dominican international should, logically, start on Thursday alongside Toni Martinez. That pair is Alaves’ main threat for the night.
At the back, Sivera remains the anchor of a defence that has to improve sharply on last season. Against a Rayo side that has scored in each of its last four home games against Alaves, the job looks tough.
The physical toll of a midweek fixture, three days after a season opener played with 10 against 11, could also bite. The Basques may need their bench to keep up.
Probable Rayo Vallecano line-up: Batalla; Ratiu, Lejeune, Ciss, Balliu; Valentin, Lopez; Frutos, Palazon, Garcia; Camello
Probable Alaves line-up: Sivera; Otto, Koski, Tenaglia; Rebbach, Blanco, Rodriguez, Ibanez, Perez; Diaz, Martinez
La Liga prediction Rayo Vallecano vs Alaves
Our pick: Rayo Vallecano to win
The run of four straight home wins against Alaves, all without conceding, is the strongest angle here. The Basque side have not won on this ground since 2018.
Rayo also produced a proper performance in Seville, where they led and only folded to a penalty awarded in the 97th minute. Alaves, by contrast, built their opening win against a Getafe side reduced to 10 before half-time.
The Basque away record from last season, with four wins and 11 defeats, tips it further. We expect Rayo to get the job done at home.
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