Rayo Vallecano will look to end their six-match winless run when they hit the road to square up against third-placed Girona.
Girona will look to return to winning ways when they host a struggling Rayo Vallecano, having suffered back-to-back defeats. The home team’s aspirations of winning the league title took a major hit because of their recent losses, but they could still get things back on track by stitching together a run of positive results.
The home team are currently third on the points table with 56 points out of their 26 matches. They have only lost three games this season, with two of those defeats coming in the recent past. They can reclaim the second spot with a win in this fixture.
Girona could have gone top of the table had they managed to defeat league leaders Real Madrid. But unfortunately, they got hammered at the hands of Los Blancos. While everyone expected them to bounce back against Athletic Club, they suffered another defeat and are now six points behind Carlo Ancelotti’s team in the race to win the title.
Rayo Vallecano are 14th on the points table with 25 points out of their 25 matches. They are eight points clear of the drop zone, but their recent form has been a bit of a problem. They have been winless in their last six league games, and four of those have ended in a defeat.
The positive for Rayo Vallecano is that they managed to end their three-match losing streak last time out as they frustrated league leaders Real Madrid to a draw. Once again, they are all set to square up against a top team and will take the confidence from the Real Madrid fixture into this one and hope to return to winning ways. Meanwhile, The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could put to use.
Team News & Tactics
Girona
The home team will be without the services of Daley Blind and Joel Roca for this fixture. Meanwhile, the availability of David Lopez and Toni Villa is doubtful. Yan Couto has served his suspension and is back in the mix.
Michel will stick to the 4-2-3-1 formation, where Paulo Gazzaniga will be in goal. In the heart of the defence, Eric Garcia will pair up with Juanpe. The duo will look for a clean sheet, and they will have the support of Couto and Miguel Gutierrez, who will feature as the full-backs.
Aleix Garcia and Yangel Herrera will form the double pivot in the centre of the park. Not only will they look to shield the backline, but the duo will also try to control the tempo of the game and have the majority of the ball possession.
Ivan Martin will feature as a number ten in this fixture, while Savio and Viktor Tsyhankov will provide the width to their attacks. The trio will look to create chances for their star forward Dovbyk, who has been in sensational form since the start of the season.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Gazzaniga; Couto, E Garcia, Juanpe, Gutierrez; Herrera, A Garcia; Tsyhankov, Martin, Savio; Dovbyk
Rayo Vallecano
Pep Chavarria and Diego Mendez’s availability remains a doubt for the visitors. Meanwhile, Isi Palazon is suspended after picking up a milestone yellow card. With Palazon out, Jorge de Frutos should come into the XI. The visitors will stick to the 4-4-2 formation and are not expected to make major changes to the XI that started against Real Madrid in their last outing.
Stole Dimitrievski will be in goal for Rayo Vallecano, while the duo of Aridane Hernández and Florian Lejeune will feature in the heart of the defence. They will have the support of Alfonso Espino and Ivan Balliu, who will start as the full-backs as the visitors will look to keep a clean sheet against the second-best attack in the division.
De Frutos will take charge on the right side of the midfield, while Alvaro Garcia will be on the opposite flank. Oscar Valentin and Unai Lopez will take charge in a more central role. They will look to ensure Girona midfielders do not end up dominating the proceedings. In attack, Raul de Tomas will pair up with Oscar Trejo.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Dimitrievski; Balliu, Hernandez, Lejeune, Espino; De Frutos, Valentin, U Lopez, A Garcia; De Tomas, Trejo
Key Stats
- Girona are heading into this fixture on the back of consecutive defeats.
- Rayo Vallecano have been winless in their last six league games.
- The home team have the second-best attack in La Liga, having scored 54 goals in 25 outings.
- The reverse fixture between the two teams ended in a 2-1 defeat for the visitors.
- Both teams recently met in the Copa del Rey where once again Girona came out on top.
Player to Watch
Artem Dovbyk
Dovbyk has risen to fame thanks to his impressive performances for Girona in the ongoing season. The 26-year-old Ukrainian striker has scored 14 goals and has even bagged five assists in his 23 league appearances.
He has been one of the major reasons for their dominant run where they are pushing for the league title. Girona have gone off track in the recent past, and they will hope the leader of their attack can get them back on track with the help of a few goals.
Prediction
Girona 2-0 Rayo Vallecano
Girona might have struggled in their last two outings, but they do have the quality in their ranks to turn things around from here. While Rayo Vallecano did put up a strong fight against Real Madrid, they have not won their last six league outings, and that is unlikely to change against the 3rd placed club. The Hard Tackle predicts an easy 2-0 win for the home team.
