Rayo host Villarreal as they look to move clear of the relegation places in La Liga.
Rayo are currently thirteenth in La Liga but they are just four points clear of the drop zone. Rayo have been poor in defence this season with only Elche (42) conceding more than Rayo's forty goals. Their home form has been poor with just seven of their twenty-three points coming at the Estadio del Rayo Vallecano and their recent form won't lift spirits for Paco Jemez's side. They have won just one of their last five games and two of their last eleven as they have slid down the table after a promising start.
Rayo will be without the suspended Raul Baena with Jozabed likely to take his place alongside Roberto Trashorras in the midfield. Alex Moreno also looks likely to get a start on the right ahead of Javier Aquino for Los Franjirrojos.
Villarreal are sixth in La Liga and right in the mix for a place in next seasons Champions League with the gap now reduced to just three points behind fourth placed Valencia. Villarreal have shown themselves to be difficult to beat with just two defeats away from home in La Liga. Their recent run of eighteen games without loss was ended by Barcelona (who have beat them twice in ten days in La Liga and the Copa del Rey) but their record of scoring in games now stands at twenty-eight games in a row.
Marcelino's side have big injury concerns for the trip to Madrid with Bruno, Mario, Ikechukwu Uche, Jonathan dos Santos, Adrian Marin and Bojan Jokic all unavailable. The injury crisis couldn't have come at a worse time with the Europa League about to start again and the squad will be stretched to it's maximum.
Villarreal are the better side if both were at full strength but they are missing some key players and that might just give Rayo the confidence they need to take some much needed points off El Submarino Amarillo.
Probable Teams
Rayo Vallecano - Tono; Tito, Ze Castro, Abdoulaye, Insua; Trashorras, Jozabed; Alex Moreno, Bueno, Kakuta, Baptistao.
Villarreal - Asenjo; Rukavina, Musacchio, Ruiz, Costa; Gomez, Trigueros, Pina, Cheryshev; Gio, Vietto.