Two teams of very different strengths will face off in a crucial clash on Friday night in the final stages of the 2024-25 La Liga season, as Las Palmas take on Rayo Vallecano at the Gran Canaria Stadium. Las Palmas are currently 18th in the La Liga standings, three points behind 17th-placed Alaves, while Rayo Vallecano are 8th, two points behind 7th-placed Celta Vigo, as they fight for qualification for next season's Europa League. Las Palmas have 32 points from 34 league games this season, with a record of 8 wins, 8 draws and 18 losses, ranking 18th, three points behind 17th-placed Alaves.

Diego Martinez's side go into this match on the back of a 3-2 defeat to Valencia, a devastating end to this stage of the season, with Pio Pio's game time quickly running out. Las Palmas are undoubtedly strong in attack, having scored 40 goals in 34 league games this season, which is quite high considering their position in the table, but they have the second-worst defensive record this season, conceding 56 goals. The Oranje actually won both of their last two La Liga games against Rayo Vallecano, including a 3-0 win earlier this season, but they lost 1-0 to the capital side in their last match at home.

Las Palmas have only won 4 of their 17 home league games this season, and in the 2024-25 campaign, they will face a Barca side that has 20 points from 17 away league games. Rayo Vallecano will win 1-0 against Getafe, with Florian Lejeune scoring the only goal of the game in the 7th minute to earn the Madrid club a vital three points. Inigo Perez's side are eighth in La Liga with 11 wins, 11 draws, 12 losses from 34 games, for a total of 44 points, the same as ninth-placed Osasuna and tenth-placed Mallorca.

Currently, Rayo Vallecano are in the play-offs for the league, but they are just two points behind seventh-placed Celta Vigo, a position that would have qualified them for the Europa League. Los Franjirrojos finished 17th in Spain's top flight last season, so there is still room for improvement this season as the team bids to qualify for European football for the first time since playing in the UEFA Cup in the 2000-01 season. Rayo Vallecano have actually only scored 36 goals in La Liga this season, but their defence has been relatively solid, conceding only 42 goals, the same number conceded by Champions League-chasing Real Betis.

Las Palmas is still missing Kylian Rodriguez, who had a recurrence of cancer earlier this year, but the club is hoping Scott McKenna and Fabio Silva will be able to recover from injury in time for this match. Silva is likely to replace Javi Munoz in the final third of the pitch, with Sandro Ramirez and Oli McBurnie also expected to feature up front.

Meanwhile, McKenna will replace Alex Suarez at centre-back, with head coach Martinez fielding a strong squad for Friday night's big game. As for Rayo Vallecano, key defender Andrei Ratiu will return to the team along with suspended goalkeeper Augusto Batalla, but Pathe Ciss is suspended for his red card against Getafe. Oscar Valentin is expected to be the player who benefits from Siss' absence, but Randy Nteka remains out with injury, while Jonathan Montiel and Abdul Mumin are also still sidelined with fitness issues. Sergi Guardiola is an option in the final third of the pitch, but Adri Embarba is likely to continue as a central striker on Friday, with Jorge de Frutos on the wing.

Las Palmas predicted starting lineup:

Hocas; Rozada, McKenna, Marmor, Munoz; Essugo, Baisetic; Morero, F Silva, Sandro; McBurnie

Valecano predicted starting lineup:

Battala; Ratiu, Lejeune, Hernandez, Chavarria; Valentin, U. Lopez; De Frutos, Palazon, A Garcia; Embarba