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

Elche will be bidding to make it back-to-back wins in Spain's top flight when they resume their campaign against Rayo Vallecano on Friday night.

The visitors are currently 17th in the La Liga table, one point ahead of 18th-placed Mallorca, while Rayo are 14th, only three points ahead of their opponents in this contest.

Match preview

Rayo have a record of seven wins, 11 draws and 11 defeats from their 29 league matches this season, with 32 points leaving them in 14th spot in the table, only four points ahead of the relegation zone heading into the final straight.

The capital outfit were last victorious in the league on March 4, beating Oviedo 3-0, and they entered the March international break off the back of a 1-0 defeat to Barcelona.

Los Franjirrojos are still active in the Conference League, recently booking their spot in the quarter-finals of the competition, and they will take on AEK for a position in the final four, with the first leg of their last-eight clash taking place in Madrid on April 9.

Inigo Perez's side cannot afford to take their eye off the ball in La Liga, though, as their work is far from complete when it comes to survival.

Rayo have only actually lost two of their 14 home league matches this season, sharing the points on eight occasions, which is a league-high.

Elche, meanwhile, will enter this match off the back of a 2-1 home success over Mallorca, which was a massive result in terms of their battle to remain in Spain's top flight.

Eder Sarabia's side had been without a win in 2026 entering the clash with Mallorca, but they came from one goal behind to secure all three points, with Rafa Mir and Tete Morente on the scoresheet, and the result moved them out of the relegation zone into 17th.

Los Franjiverdes are only one point outside of the bottom three, but another win on Friday would be a major boost when it comes to the battle to remain in the division.

Elche have the worst away record in Spain's top flight this season, picking up only four points from 14 matches, failing to post a single win.

Los Franjiverdes have faced Rayo on 46 previous occasions and have posted 28 wins to the latter's 12, while there have only ever been six draws between the two sides.

Rayo Vallecano La Liga form:

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Rayo Vallecano form (all competitions):

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Elche La Liga form:

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Team News

Rayo will be without the services of Diego Mendez through injury, while Ilias Akhomach, Fran Perez and Nobel Mendy will all face late fitness tests.

The home side will also be without the services of Pathe Ciss, with the 32-year-old picking up a milestone yellow card in the team's 1-0 defeat to Barcelona last time out.

Alvaro Garcia has been in impressive form this season, scoring 12 goals and registering nine assists in 43 appearances, and he will continue in the final third of the field.

As for Elche, on-loan Barcelona defender Hector Fort could return to the squad after recovering from a shoulder injury, but the Spaniard is unlikely to start.

Victor Chust, Grady Diangana, and John Donald are all doubts for the contest, with all three requiring fitness tests before their availability is determined.

Rafa Mir is the team's leading goalscorer this season, finding the back of the net on eight occasions, and the 28-year-old will continue in the final third of the field.

Rayo Vallecano possible starting lineup:

Batalla; Ratiu, Lejeune, Felipe, Chavarria; Valentin, Lopez; Akhomach, Palazon, A Garcia; De Frutos

Elche possible starting lineup:

Dituro; Petrot, Affengruber, Bigas; Morente, Villar, Febas, Aguado, Valera; Mir, Rodriguez

We say: Rayo Vallecano 1-1 Elche

There has only been six draws in the previous 46 matches between the two sides, but we can see a stalemate occurring here; Rayo have drawn eight of their 14 home fixtures this term, recording just two wins, so another stalemate could be on the cards.

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