Preview: Rayo Vallecano vs. Levante

Levante will move as high as fourth if they can pick up all three points against mid-table La Liga outfit Rayo Vallecano on Thursday.

The home side picked up a morale-boosting victory away to Valencia last time out to end a run of back-to-back defeats, and a win could move them as high as seventh ahead of the winter break.

Meanwhile, Levante have lost just one of their last five matches in all competitions and the 1-0 win over Real Zaragoza last time out moved them into sixth position, just one point shy of Real Betis and Malaga in fifth and fourth respectively.

The corresponding fixture last season ended in a 2-1 win for Levante, but Rayo were victorious away from home with a 5-3 win against Levante in February.

Rayo have a fully-fit squad to choose from and are once more expected to name Piti and Leo Baptistao in attack. However, Levante will be without Christian Lell after the defender was dismissed last time out against Zaragoza.

Recent form

Rayo Vallecano: WDLLW Levante: DDWLW

Possible lineups

Rayo Vallecano: Cobeno; Tito, Casado, Galvez, Amat; Gonzalez, Trashorras, Vasquez, Dominuez; Piti, Leo

Levante: Munua; Navarro, Garcia, Ballesteros, Rodad; Barkero, Iborra, Michel, Ruben; Diop, Martins

Sports Mole says: 1-2