Rayo Vallecano vs Barcelona prediction 25.11.2023

• Competition: La Liga
• Date: Saturday, 25th November 2023
• Kickoff: 13:00 UTC / 14:00 CET
• Venue: Campo de Futbol de Vallecas (Madrid)

Rayo Vallecano has achieved a 12th place finish in both seasons since their return to the Spanish top-flight division in 2021/22. They had a genuine opportunity to secure a spot in the European leagues last season, but a decline in performance during the second half of the season cost them this chance. Currently, Los Franjirrojos are enjoying another strong season, sitting 10th with 18 points and just four points shy of a European position. Attaining a European spot next season would represent a significant achievement for the club.

Despite Barcelona’s impressive La Liga title win last season, the team’s financial struggles are increasingly apparent. This has been most evident in their Champions League performance, failing to reach the knockout stage in the past two years. Nevertheless, by utilising their academy, Barcelona is maintaining their relevance. They had a strong start this season in both La Liga and the Champions League. However, their momentum appears to be dwindling. Currently, Barcelona sits in 3rd place in La Liga with 30 points, trailing 1st-placed Girona by four points. In the Champions League, they lead the standings with nine points after four rounds.

Rayo Vallecano vs Barcelona pick: Rayo Vallecano to cover the +1 AH spread

Rayo Vallecano has had a strong performance this season, suffering only three losses in 13 rounds. Over the course of the season, they only experienced one significant defeat where they lost by more than a single goal. This happened against Atletico Madrid, where they faced a crushing 7:0 defeat. However, aside from that particular match, their performance has been commendable.

Prior to the international break, Barcelona’s performance was extremely subpar, suffering losses in two of their recent four matches across all competitions. Their victories against Alaves and Real Sociedad were far from convincing, with potential for them to have dropped points in at least one of those games. On away games, Xavi’s team managed to secure only half of their eight matches, and have yet to win a game with more than a one-goal margin.

Over the past two seasons, Rayo Vallecano has shown exceptional performance against Barcelona. Out of the last four head-to-head matches, Rayo emerged victorious three times, with one match ending in a goalless draw. Considering their previous head-to-head results and Barcelona’s current lackluster form, we believe Rayo stands a good chance of securing a favorable outcome.