Match Overview

The La Liga Matchday 3 fixture between Rayo Vallecano and Barcelona is scheduled for August 31st at the Campo de Vallecas stadium in Madrid. This preview will cover the prediction, betting odds, and key statistics for the Rayo Vallecano vs Barcelona encounter.

Rayo Vallecano Team Analysis

Rayo Vallecano’s Current Form

Iñigo Pérez’s side began their campaign with a strong away victory, defeating Girona 3-1. In the subsequent round, the team was also on the road but fell to a 0-1 defeat against Athletic. This loss to the Basque club ended Rayo Vallecano’s impressive 6-match unbeaten streak in La Liga, which included four wins and two draws.

Key Statistics for Rayo Vallecano

• The team conceded no more than 1 goal in 6 of their last 7 La Liga matches.
• In their 8 previous home matches in La Liga, Rayo Vallecano secured only 1 victory (with 5 draws and 2 losses).
• The Madrid side scored no more than 1 goal in 7 of their last 9 home league games.

Projected Starting XI for Rayo Vallecano (4-5-1)*

Augusto Batalla – Florian Lejeune, Andrei Rațiu, Luis Felipe, Pep Chavarría – Pathé Ciss, Isi Palazón, Pedro Díaz, Unai López, Álvaro García – Jorge de Frutos.

Barcelona Team Analysis

Barcelona’s Season Start and Recent Performance

The Catalan giants concluded the previous season with a dominant 3-0 away win against Athletic. They started the new championship with an identical scoreline, also on the road, against Mallorca. Subsequently, Hans Flick’s men traveled to Levante, securing a hard-fought 3-2 victory. Notably, the team was trailing by two goals during that match, with the winning goal scored in the 91st minute. Barcelona boasts an impressive record of 18 wins in their last 20 La Liga matches, alongside one draw and one defeat.

Barcelona’s Key Statistics

• In their 7 previous La Liga matches, the team scored at least two goals.
• At least three goals were scored in 6 of Barcelona’s last 7 league games.
• The Catalans’ away winning streak in La Liga stands at 9 matches.

Projected Starting XI for Barcelona (4-3-3)*

Joan García – Ronald Araújo, Pau Cubarsí, Alejandro Balde, Eric García – Marc Casadó, Pedri, Ferran Torres – Marcus Rashford, Lamine Yamal, Raphinha Dias.

Team News: Barcelona Absentees

Goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen and defender Dani Rodríguez are unavailable due to injuries.

Rayo Vallecano vs Barcelona Match Prediction

Analyzing Barcelona’s Away Form

The Catalans will play their third consecutive away match in the new championship. Despite this, the team performs excellently both at home and on the road. Impressively, they haven’t lost an away match in La Liga since November of last year, securing victories in all of their last nine away fixtures. During this remarkable run, Barcelona has scored at least two goals in eight of those matches.

Our Betting Prediction

We anticipate that Hans Flick’s squad will extend their impressive away winning streak. It’s plausible they could even secure a victory by a margin of two or more goals. In their last nine away La Liga encounters, the team has won by more than one goal on six occasions. Furthermore, it’s worth noting that Rayo Vallecano has lost their last three head-to-head matches against Barcelona in La Liga.

Recommended Bet

My prediction is “Barcelona with a (-1) Handicap” with odds of 1.61

Prediction Author

Author: Oleksandr Oleksenko

Note on Lineups

* For each team, the starting lineup from their previous match in this tournament is indicated.