La Liga | Gameweek 22

Jan 31, 2025 at 8pm UK

Estadio Municipal de Butarque

Leganes vs Rayo Vallecano

Match preview

Leganés have had a great start to 2025, winning three and drawing two of their five matches in all competitions, with two wins in the Copa del Rey seeing them through to the quarter-finals of the competition.

Borja Jimenez's team have also drawn with Espanyol and Athletic in the league this year, and they recorded a famous 1-0 victory over Atletico Madrid on 18 January, ending the capital outfit's longest winning run in their entire history.

But even with this recent improvement, El Lega are still struggling at the bottom of the division, in 16th place. They've won five games, had eight draws and lost eight games out of 21, which gives them 23 points. This puts them just three points ahead of the relegation zone.

Leganés are the current Segunda División champions, and this is their first top-flight campaign since 2019-20, so any spot above 18th would be an amazing achievement.

The last time El Lega played Rayo at home in La Liga was way back in October 2018, when they won 1-0. But the reverse fixture earlier this season ended in a 1-1 draw.

Rayo, on the other hand, are doing really well this season, with seven wins, eight draws and six defeats from 21 matches, giving them 29 points and a seventh-place finish in the table.

Inigo Perez's side are only one point behind sixth-placed Mallorca in the race for Europe, and they'll enter this match off the back of a 2-1 home success over Girona, which stretched their unbeaten run in La Liga to seven matches.

Los Franjirrojos haven't been beaten in La Liga since the start of December, winning three and drawing four of their seven matches since then, while their last league defeat away from home was at the end of November.

Rayo lost 3-1 to Real Sociedad in the Copa del Rey in the middle of January, so they've got the league to focus on for the rest of the campaign. It'd be a great story if they could secure a European finish.

Perez's team have got 14 points from their 11 away league games so far this season, and they'll be up against a Leganes team that's got 13 points from their 10 home games in La Liga this term.

Recent Performance

Leganes La Liga form:LWLDWD

Leganes form (all competitions):LWDWWD

Rayo Vallecano La Liga form:DDDWDW

Rayo Vallecano form (all competitions):DWWLDW

Team News

Leganés will be without Renato Tapia and Enric Franquesa because of injury problems, and Diego Garcia's still a bit doubtful, but the home side have no fresh injury issues.

After how they played against Athletic last time, it wouldn't be a shock to see the same team start again here, with Dani Raba possibly playing in the middle.

Adria Alti and Juan Cruz played in the wing-back positions last time, while Miguel de la Fuente played out wide, and he might do so again on Friday.

As for Rayo, Raul de Tomas and Jonathan Montiel are both unavailable for selection, but the visitors are otherwise in strong shape, with no problems having been reported following their home success over Girona.

Randy Nteka scored two goals off the bench in the last match and he'll be in the running to start, with the number 11 possibly getting the nod over Sergio Camello in the final third.

Adri Embarba and Jorge de Frutos are likely to continue in the wide areas, with Isi Palazon featuring as the number 10.

Possible starting lineup

Leganes possible starting lineup:

Dmitrovic; Alti, Rosier, Gonzalez, Nastasic, Cruz; De la Fuente, Cisse, Neyou, Brasanac; Raba

Rayo Vallecano possible starting lineup:

Batalla; Ratiu, Lejeune, Mumin, Chavarria; Ciss, U Lopez; De Frutos, Palazon, Embarba; Nteka