Preview: Rayo Vallecano vs Strasbourg - prediction, team news, lineups

Strasbourg travel to Estadio de Vallecas to face Rayo Vallecano in the first leg of their Conference League semi-final on Thursday night.

The victors of this two-legged tie will lock horns with either Shakhtar Donetsk or Crystal Palace in the final in Leipzig on May 27.

Match preview

Twenty-five years on from their quarter-final appearance in the UEFA Cup, Rayo Vallecano are competing in the semi-finals of just their second major European competition, though they stumbled into the last four after avoiding a major scare in the quarter-finals against AEK Athens.

Indeed, Los Franjirrojos nearly surrendering a three-goal first-leg advantage in a nerve-shredding second leg in Greece, and they had cult hero Isi Palazon to thank for scoring a second-half goal that ultimately secured a 4-3 aggregate victory.

Only AEK Athens (21) have scored more Conference League goals this term that Rayo Vallecano (20), who finished fifth in the 36-team League Phase earlier in the campaign (W4 D1 L1), before beating Samsunspor 3-2 on aggregate in the last 16.

Rayo’s first-team squad have built a “very strong friendship” with head coach Inigo Perez, who saw his players deliver another resilient display in last weekend’s enthralling 3-3 La Liga draw with Real Sociedad. Trailing 3-1 with just six minutes of normal time remaining, Los Franjirrojos rescued a point in dramatic fashion, leaving them five points behind the top six with five games remaining.

Perez’s men face sixth-placed Getafe on Sunday, but their immediate focus is Thursday’s Conference League clash at the Estadio de Vallecas – a formidable fortress for Rayo, who have lost just one of their 12 home games in UEFA competition and only two of their last 19 matches overall (W10 D7).

Like Rayo Vallecano, Strasbourg are gearing up for their first major European semi-final after staging a stunning comeback to overturn a 2-0 first-leg deficit against Mainz 05 in the quarter-finals, eventually winning 4-2 on aggregate.

Now under the tutelage of Gary O'Neil, Les Bleu et Blanc have maintained the momentum established by former boss Liam Rosenior prior to his brief Chelsea stint. O'Neil inherited a side that finished top of the 36-team League Phase before securing a hard-fought 3-2 aggregate victory over HNK Rijeka in the last 16.

Defensive frailties have crept into Strasbourg’s games in recent weeks, as they have conceding two or more goals in four of their last five matches in all competitions, including a 3-0 home defeat to Rennes in Ligue 1 and a 2-0 loss to Nice in the Coupe de France semi-finals last week.

Another two goals were conceded on Sunday away to Lorient, but Strasbourg scored in the 92nd and 100th minutes to snatch a dramatic 3-2 victory in the French top flight. Although that win has seen them climb to eighth in the table, Les Bleu et Blanc still sit seven points adrift of the top six with just four games left to play.

Conference League glory arguably represents Strasbourg’s best route into Europe next season. However, they must first overcome Rayo Vallecano in their first matchup against Spanish opposition since drawing three successive matches with Barcelona in the third round of the 1964-65 Fairs Cup – Strasbourg progressed after the tie was remarkably decided via a coin toss.

Rayo Vallecano Conference League form:

Rayo Vallecano form (all competitions):

Strasbourg Conference League form:

Strasbourg form (all competitions):

Team News

Rayo Vallecano are set to be without defender Luiz Felipe and attacker Alvaro Garcia as they continue to recover from respective hamstring and muscle injuries.

Goalkeeper Augusto Batalla served a domestic ban last time out, but he is available for selection on Thursday. Whether he starts remains to be seen, though, having recently recovered from a thigh issue, so Daniel Cardenas could retain his place between the sticks.

Jorge de Frutos is Rayo’s joint-top scorer in all tournaments with 12 goals; only one of those goals have been netted in nine Conference League games, but he is still likely to start in attack along with Ilias Akhomach and Fran Perez.

As for Strasbourg, Joaquin Panichelli (knee) and Aaron Anselmino (hamstring) are both sidelined with injuries, while Valentin Barco is suspended for the first leg due to an accumulation of yellow cards.

Guela Doue is doubtful with a virus, so either Junior Mwanga or Abdoul Ouattara could be handed a start at right-back, joining Ismael Doukoure, Andrew Omobamidele and Ben Chilwell in a four-man defence.

Martial Godo has scored four of his 14 goals this season in the Conference League, and the attacker will be hoping to force his way back into the first XI alongside Julio Enciso, Sebastian Nanasi and Gessime Yassine.

Rayo Vallecano possible starting lineup:

Batalla; Ratiu, Lejeune, Ciss, Chavarria; Valentin, U. Lopez; Akhomach, Palazon, F. Perez; De Frutos

Strasbourg possible starting lineup:

Penders; Ouattara, Doukoure, Omobamidele, Chilwell; Oyedele, El Mourabet; Yassine, Nanasi, Godo; Enciso

We say: Rayo Vallecano 2-1 Strasbourg

Considering how vulnerable both teams have looked in defence in recent weeks, an entertaining, end-to-end contest could be in store on Thursday. However, we are backing Rayo Vallecano to spring a surprise on Strasbourg and take a slender advantage to France for next week’s second leg.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.