Girona vs Rayo Vallecano predictions and match preview for Thursday’s LaLiga fixture. Read on for analysis, team news and predicted lineups as the hosts target a third straight win.
| Date | Thursday 29th December 2022 |
| Kick-Off | 17:00 (local time) |
| Stadium | Montilivi |
| Competition | LaLiga |
Girona vs Rayo Vallecano Preview
LaLiga returns from the international break with a meeting of Girona and Rayo Vallecano on Thursday afternoon. It marks the first Spanish top flight action since way back on November 10th.
Both sides will be pretty happy with how things are going this season and probably didn’t need the interruption brought by the World Cup. That’s certainly true of Girona who had just found some form with back-to-back wins in their final two games prior to the halt. 2-1 victories over Elche and Athletic Club made it 4 unbeaten overall and lifted them away from the bottom three.
Michel will be hoping for more of the same now we are back and he’ll also be optimistic that his relatively youthful side will improve as the season goes along. In terms of the football they play and their attacking threat, they are certainly not one of the weakest three teams in the league. However their failure to keep a single clean sheet in LaLiga so far is clearly a concern.
Rayo Vallecano by comparison have a healthy clean sheet rate of 43% on their travels and that includes an excellent 1-0 win at Sevilla in their most recent away game. They are 6 unbeaten overall including a memorable 3-2 home win over local rivals Real Madrid in the week leading up to the World Cup interval.
Andoni Iraola’s side are flying high and hoping to mount a surprise European push. They will soon have Raul De Tomas available which is clearly another major boost for them with the former Espanyol striker a proven goalscorer at this level. They are slightly hampered here though by suspensions to Alejandro Catena and Oscar Valentin, two important players who have racked up five bookings already this term.
Team News & Possible Lineups
Girona
| INJURED | Espinosa, Kebe, Reinier, Juanpe, Javi Hernandez |
| DOUBTFUL | |
| BANNED |
Possible XI: Gazzaniga – Miguel, Bueno, David Lopez, Arnau – Herrera, Romeu, Aleix Garcia – Valery, Castellanos, Villa (4-3-3)
Coach: Michel
Rayo Vallecano
| INJURED | |
| DOUBTFUL | Nteka, Salvi Sanchez |
| BANNED | Catena, Valentin |
Possible XI: Dimitrievski – Fran Garcia, Mumin, Lejeune, Balliu – Comesana, Ciss – Alvaro Garcia, Trejo, Isi – Camello (4-2-3-1)
Coach: Andoni Iraola
Score Prediction: Girona 2-1 Rayo Vallecano
The absence of Alejandro Catena is a worry for Rayo and it’s likely to make them a bit more vulnerable in defence here which is not ideal against a Girona side that does carry a genuine attacking threat. That may just give the home team the edge here as they target a 3rd straight league win.
PLEASE NOTE – Our LaLiga predictions are not betting tips! No profits are guaranteed if you’re using them to bet on Spanish football. If you are gambling, do so responsibly and never stake more than you can afford to lose. BeGambleAware.
