Overview
Rayo Vallecano has a record of 7 wins, 11 draws and 11 defeats after 29 rounds this season. They won 32 points and ranked 14th in the standings, only 4 points ahead of the relegation group before the crucial stage.
The last time the capital team won was on March 4, when they defeated Oviedo 3-0. After that, they entered the international holiday in March with a 0-1 defeat to Barcelona.
Los Franjirrojos still maintain positive form in the European arena when winning a ticket to the UEFA Europa Conference League quarter-finals. They will face AEK Athens in this round, with the first leg taking place in Madrid on April 9.
However, coach Inigo Perez's team is not allowed to be negligent in La Liga as the relegation race is still very tense. The positive point is that Rayo has only lost 2/14 home matches this season, but they have drawn 8 matches - the highest number in the league.
On the other side, Elche entered this match with a big morale boost after a 2-1 victory over Mallorca. This is their first victory in 2026.
Coach Eder Sarabia's team made an impressive comeback with goals from Rafa Mir and Tete Morente, thereby rising to 17th place and temporarily escaping the relegation group.
However, the gap with the relegation group is only 1 point, making each remaining match life-and-death. Another victory will be a huge boost for their relegation goal.
However, Elche's away form is a worrying issue as they have not won any matches after 14 away trips and have only won 4 points.
Personnel situation
Rayo Vallecano will not have the service of Diego Mendez due to injury, while Ilias Akhomach, Fran Perez and Nobel Mendy all have to wait for a fitness test at the last minute.
The home team is also missing Pathe Ciss due to suspension after receiving enough yellow cards in the previous round's defeat to Barcelona.
In attack, Alvaro Garcia is still a big mainstay as he is having an impressive season with 12 goals and 9 assists after 43 appearances, promising to continue to play a key role.
On Elche's side, defender Hector Fort (currently on loan from Barcelona) may return after an shoulder injury, but the possibility of starting is not high.
Victor Chust, Grady Diangana and John Donald are all having physical problems and need to be checked before the match to determine their ability to play.
In attack, Rafa Mir is still the biggest hope with 8 goals this season, and is likely to continue to lead the away team's attack.
Expected lineup:
Rayo Vallecano: Batalla, Ratiu, Lejeune, Felipe, Chavarria, Valentin, Lopez, Akhomach, Palazon, A. Garcia, De Frutos.
Dituro, Petrot, Affengruber, Bigas, Morente, Villar, Febas, Aguado, Valera, Mir, Rodriguez.
The match between Rayo Vallecano and Elche takes place at 2:00 AM on April 4 (Vietnam time).
