🏏 Sat, 23 May 2026 21:00 CEST
Deportivo Alavés
vs
Rayo Vallecano
3-5-2 vs 4-2-3-1
Substitutes
Substitutes
Match Preview
- A final-matchday meeting between current 13th-place Alaves (43 points) and 8th-place Rayo Vallecano (47 points). Both sides have already secured safety and are out of the race for European places, giving the season finale the look of a dead rubber. Alaves are in good form with three wins, one draw and one loss in their last five, notably claiming a 1-0 upset over Barcelona on matchday 36.
- Rayo are unbeaten in their last five with two wins and three draws, but the run of draws points to a lack of cutting edge. In midfield, the double pivot of Oscar Valentin (177cm) and Gumbau (187cm, left-footed) circulate the ball steadily, but the key will be whether they can supply chances to frontman Nteka (189cm, French-born Angola international).
- In this season's matchday 10 meeting, Rayo won 1-0 at home, so this is a chance for Alaves to gain revenge. Following last season's dramatic finish at Valladolid, this is their final home game of the season at Mendizorrotza, where they will want to thank their home supporters.
- Alaves' 4-4-2 features a strike pairing of Toni Martinez (187cm), who spent four years at Porto, and Lucas Boye, a Copa Libertadores winner with River Plate. In midfield, Real Madrid academy product Antonio Blanco (born 2000) balances attack and defence and controls the tempo of the game.
- On Rayo's left, club legend Alvaro Garcia (167cm, left-footed) is again setting a record for most LaLiga appearances this season. He threatens opponents with sharp dribbling and shots after cutting inside. On the right is Carlos Martin (born 2002, Spain U-21 international), on loan from Atletico Madrid, looking to score with youthful drive.
- In defence, Alaves' Sivera (Valencia academy product, 184cm) and Rayo's Dani Cardenas (Levante academy product, 186cm) have both produced steady performances this season. Both are technically strong with their feet and contribute to build-up from the back, modern goalkeepers who help orchestrate solid defences.