The Matchday 2 clash in La Liga between Athletic and Rayo Vallecano will take place on August 25 at the San Mames Stadium in Bilbao. Athletic vs. Rayo Vallecano: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Athletic
The Basques played their first match of the season at home against Sevilla, securing a hard-fought 3-2 victory thanks to a decisive goal in the 81st minute. Notably, the Bilbao club has won 4 of their last 5 league encounters, with their only defeat in this series coming against Barcelona.
- At least one team failed to score in 7 of Athletic's last 8 La Liga matches.
- No more than two goals have been scored in 6 of the Basques' last 8 league games.
- The club has remained unbeaten in 16 of their last 17 home La Liga matches (11 wins and 5 draws).
Predicted lineup for Athletic (4-3-3)
Unai Simon – Yuri Berchiche, Daniel Vivian, Jesus Areso, Aitor Paredes – Maroan Sannadi, Mikel Jaureguizar, Inigo Ruiz de Galarreta – Nico Williams, Alex Berenguer, Inaki Williams.
Defender Unai Eguiluz and midfielders Unai Gomez, Benat Prados, and Oihan Sancet will miss the match due to injuries.
Rayo Vallecano
Inigo Perez's side will play their second consecutive away match. In the first round, playing away, the club easily defeated a struggling Girona with a 3-1 scoreline. This victory extended their unbeaten streak in the league to six matches, with four wins and two draws. Interestingly, three of these victories were in away games. For three consecutive seasons, the team has started on the road and won each time.
- At least two goals have been scored in 11 of Rayo Vallecano's last 14 La Liga matches.
- The team's uncompromising away streak in La Liga stands at 9 matches (5 wins and 4 losses).
- Rayo Vallecano has scored in 6 of their last 7 away league games.
Predicted lineup for Rayo Vallecano (4-5-1)
Augusto Batalla – Florian Lejeune, Andrei Ratiu, Luis Felipe, Pep Chavarria – Pathé Ciss, Isi Palazon, Pedro Diaz, Unai Lopez, Alvaro Garcia – Jorge de Frutos.
Defender Abdul Mumin is out due to injury.
Match Prediction: Athletic vs. Rayo Vallecano
The Madrid side is in excellent form, maintaining a long unbeaten run in the league. However, in this 6-match unbeaten streak, the club has faced a team from the European competition zone only once. It will be challenging for Inigo Perez's side to earn points against opponents like Athletic, especially since Athletic is very strong at their home stadium.
In their last 17 home La Liga matches, the Basques have only lost to Barcelona, securing 12 wins and 6 draws. Additionally, Athletic boasts an impressive record in head-to-head league encounters, with 6 wins and just 1 draw in their last 7 meetings. Furthermore, at San Mames, the Bilbao club has achieved 7 wins in their last 8 direct La Liga confrontations.
My prediction: Athletic to win
