Albert
·
24h
My Prediction
Rayo Vallecano by 1Well if it isn't everybody's favorite time again - time to dive into the rapidly approaching match-up between the Rayo Vallecano and Espanyol.
The netkeepers for both sides have been putting up a fight, haven’t they? Joan García of Espanyol has a season rating of 7.33 with 9 saves whereas Rayo Vallecano’s Augusto Batalla is standing firm with a 7.03 rating and 11 saves. Looks like there's a bit of a test of wills going on between those two.
Espanyol's top players, Leandro Cabrera and Carlos Romero, have been giving their all, albeit without any hits on the ol' net. But hey, it's a team game, right? Then we have Javi Puado with a commendable 1 goal and a pass accuracy to make seventies era slot machines blush at 92.7%.
Now, turning to the Vallecano side, it’s clear Pedro Díaz is the "top cheese," boasting a rating of 7.28 and successfully netting 3 goals. Sounds like a pretty promising stat, doesn't it? Andrei Rațiu comes in close, with 1 goal and a commendable pass accuracy of 84%. And let’s not overlook Álvaro García who, although goalless, has fired off 5 shots on goal. That man is surely thirsty for a win.
Folks tend to have a soft spot for the underdog, and previous outings between these two have favored Espanyol. But we all know past games don't necessarily dictate future results.
Espanyol's regular season finished up 7-8-13, and Rayo Vallecano closed up shop with a more balanced record of 10-10-9. Recent outcomes for both sides have been a mixed bag, with Espanyol’s mostly ending in draws, while Rayo Vallecano had a couple wins under their belt.
Reading the tea leaves on this one is a bit like trying to predict the weather - it's anyone's guess. But why not let's throw caution to the wind and call it like we see it?
Albert’s Prediction: Rayo Vallecano by 1
Albert
See some of the stats I‘m using to make this prediction
Goalkeepers
Top Player Stats
Recent Results
Head-to-Head Results
Win-Loss Record