Rayo Vallecano – Athletic Bilbao: tense showdown at Vallecas 
Saturday night, Vallecas will be rocking for a match with everything on the line — but for different reasons. Rayo arrive sweating, flirting with the relegation places. Athletic roll in on a run, hunting a fourth straight win and with Europe in their sights. Two teams moving in opposite directions. Same urgent need for points.
Rayo Vallecano: survival breathing down their neck 
This season has never really taken off for Rayo. Six wins, eight draws and ten defeats from 24 games leaves them 15th — just two points clear of the drop. Fragile. Every match now feels like a wire-crossing.
The problem? They struggle to score. Just 22 goals all season — one of the worst attacks in the league. Plenty of good intent, but the final third often looks listless.
Still, Vallecas can blow up. That 3-0 rout of Atlético Madrid at home proved it: when intensity spikes and the crowd gets behind them, Rayo can hurt anyone. The 1-1 with Betis showed some grit, too. Home form is patchy though — only three wins from eleven. With league duties and Conference League fixtures coming, fitness management suddenly matters for Íñigo Pérez’s men.
Athletic Bilbao: Basque momentum is accelerating 
Bilbao are on the front foot. A 2-1 win over Elche extended a three-game league winning streak and shoved the Lions back into the European conversation. Eighth with 34 points, they sit three behind Celta Vigo in sixth. Europe is no longer fantasy — it’s a target.
Away form is a bit hit-and-miss — only three wins on the road this season — but history favors the visitors. Bilbao have won 26 of the 49 meetings with Rayo and have claimed five straight in this fixture. More telling: they haven’t lost at Vallecas since September 2014. That stat alone shows how tough this is for Madrid’s side. Bilbao travel with structure, a tight block and a knack for nailing the decisive moments. Not flashy. Very efficient.
Likely line-ups
Rayo Vallecano : Batalla ; Ratiu, Lejeune, Mendy, Espino ; Valentin, Gumbau ; Akhomach, Palazon, A Garcia ; De Frutos
Athletic Bilbao : Simon ; Areso, Vivian, Laporte, Berchiche ; Ruiz de Galarreta, Jauregizar ; I Williams, Sancet, Gomez ; Guruzeta
Football Prediction Rayo Vallecano vs Athletic Bilbao
Under 2.5 goals
Rayo have shown they can lift at home, but Bilbao arrive organised and hard to break down. Expect cautious Rayo and disciplined Bilbao — a tight game where chances will be scarce and valuable.
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