Rayo Vallecano host Espanyol at Vallecas after a 4-1 defeat to Real Madrid in their last match. Íñigo Pérez’s side arrive needing points after three losses in their last five games, including the loss to the whites where Sergio Camello scored the only home goal.
The 24-year-old striker leads the Rayo Vallecano 2026 squad with six goals in five appearances, making him the team’s top scorer this season. His presence will be vital against an Espanyol side sitting eighth and coming off a 2-0 away win over Osasuna.
Recent history does not favour Rayo, as the last meeting between the two ended in a 1-0 Espanyol victory on 7 December 2025. Now, the Vallecans aim to break that streak in front of their home fans, who expect a reaction after the heavy blow at the Santiago Bernabéu.
For this match, the coach will be without Augusto Batalla, Jozhua Vertrouwd, Luiz Felipe and Randy Nteka, all sidelined due to injury. The defence will have to reshuffle with those absences, while in midfield Unai López and G. Tsitaishvili are expected to retain their creative roles.
Rayo Vallecano currently sit sixteenth in La Liga with four points from five games, one win, one draw, three losses. The gap to leaders Barcelona is eleven points, increasing the urgency to pick up points at home to distance themselves from the relegation zone.
Rayos’ next fixture after this match can be followed on our fixtures page, and the full squad list is available in our squad section.
With the motivation to win again at Vallecas and break their recent poor run, Rayo Vallecano face Espanyol as a key opportunity to improve their league standing and prove that the loss to Real Madrid was a stumble, not a trend.
