Looking at this faceoff between Real Valladolid and Rayo Vallecano, it's hard to overlook the solid performance Rayo Vallecano goalkeeper, Augusto Batalla, has strung together with 8 saves on a 6.98 rating. That's commendable, but let's not forget Real Valladolid's showstopper, Karl Hein, who boasts an impressive 7.33 rating with a monstrous 17 saves this season. Just a hunch, but we might not be seeing a goal-fest here with Hein minding the goal.
As we dig into the lineups, Andrei Rațiu, Ismaila Ciss and Florian Lejeune paint a picture of a capable Rayo Vallecano side with accurate passing numbers that could give an octopus an existential crisis. Nevertheless, Real Valladolid too has some admirable figures in Iván Sánchez and Mario Martin who have maintained commendable ratings and accuracy in their passing numbers. So let's not jump into conclusions yet.
Looking back at the past matchups between these two, Rayo Vallecano seems to emerge as the chokeyouup Chokezillas, clinching slim victories in both recent encounters. The regular season records bring another dollop of dry truth for Real Valladolid sitting at 1-2-5 while Rayo Vallecano maintains navigated the middle of the road with a 2-4-2 standing.
None of our contenders are writing a Cinderella story with their recent results. Rayo Vallecano seems to have mastered the art of kiss-your-sister ties, while Real Valladolid has been stringing together an operatic series of tragic losses. But hey, they only lost by one goal to Sevilla - that's practically a victory in my book.
So where does this leave us? Well, my Magic 8-Ball that doubles as a fortune teller on weekends and public holidays suggests I lean towards the side that's magnetized towards ties lately, and who am I to argue with a plastic toy filled with blue dye?
Albert’s Prediction: Rayo Vallecano by 1