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Sports Mole previews Sunday’s La Liga clash between Rayo Vallecano and Alaves, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Rayo Vallecano will be aiming to make it three straight wins in Spain’s top flight when they continue their 2025-26 La Liga campaign with a home fixture against Alaves on Sunday.
The hosts are 11th in the La Liga table, boasting 11 points from their first nine matches of the season, while the visitors are 10th, picking up 12 points from their first nine games.
Match preview
Rayo failed to win a match during a disappointing September, but it has been a positive October for the capital outfit, winning three of their four games and remaining unbeaten in the process.
Los Franjirrojos started the month with a success in their Conference League league phase opener against Shkendija, before recording back-to-back league wins over Real Sociedad and Levante, while they will enter this match off the back of a 2-2 draw with Hacken in Europe.
Inigo Perez‘s side have a record of three wins, two draws and four defeats from their nine league matches this season, with 11 points leaving them in 11th, four points behind sixth-placed Espanyol.
Rayo finished eighth in La Liga last season, and it will be tough for them to match or better that this term, but they will definitely be expecting to finish in the top half of the division.
The capital outfit did a La Liga double over Alaves during the 2024-25 campaign, recording 1-0 in the home fixture in October 2024 before running out 2-0 winners in the away game in March of this year.
Alaves have only managed to win one of their last four league games against Rayo, suffering three defeats in the process, while they have not won away to the capital side since September 2018.
Eduardo Coudet‘s side will enter this match off the back of a 0-0 draw with Valencia, and they have only lost one of their last four during a relatively positive run of form.
Alaves have a record of three wins, three draws and three defeats from their nine league matches this season, with 12 points leaving them in 10th, one point and one position above their opponents here.
The Blue and Whites finished 15th in Spain’s top flight last season, so there is room for improvement this term, and there have been positive signs in the early stages of the 2025-26 campaign.
Alaves have a record of one win, one draw and two defeats from their four games on their travels this season, while Rayo have struggled at home, picking up just two points from their first three matches in front of their own supporters.
Rayo Vallecano La Liga form:
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Rayo Vallecano form (all competitions):
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Alaves La Liga form:
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Team News
Rayo will be without the services of two players through injury on Sunday, with both Abdul Mumin and Luiz Felipe unavailable for selection, but the capital outfit are otherwise in strong shape.
Sergio Camello is available again for the home side after serving a suspension.
Alvaro Garcia has been a standout performer for Rayo this term, finding the back of the net on seven occasions in 13 appearances, and he will start, while there should also be in the spot in the side for five-goal Jorge de Frutos.
As for Alaves, Mariano Diaz has been passed fit after overcoming an injury, although the ex-Real Madrid attacker is unlikely to be in the starting side for the away team.
Unless there are any late issues, Alaves could have a fully-fit squad for this match, and there are expected to be spots in the final third of the field for both Lucas Boye and Toni Martinez.
Nahuel Tenaglia has been another standout player for the Basque side this term, and he will feature at the back, while Antonio Blanco and Pablo Ibanez are both in line for spots in the middle of midfield.
Rayo Vallecano possible starting lineup:
Batalla; Chavarria, Mendy, Lejeune, Ratiu; Lopez, Valentin; De Frutos, Palazon, A Garcia; Alemao
Alaves possible starting lineup:
Sivera; Jonny, Tenaglia, Pacheco, Enriquez; Vicente, Blanco, Ibanez, Rebbach; Martinez, Boye
We say: Rayo Vallecano 2-1 Alaves
Rayo are yet to win on home soil in the league this season, but the capital outfit are in excellent form, and we are backing them to edge a close match against Alaves in order to put three points on the board.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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