Granada vs Rayo Vallecano Prediction - How Will Granada React To Last Round's Heavy Defeat?

Next Saturday afternoon, Granada will go head-to-head with a super motivated Rayo Vallecano at Estadio Nuevo Los Cármenes for round 35 of Liga BBVA on a match between two sides separated by only three points at the second half of the league table.

After having surprisingly defeated Barcelona at home two weeks ago, Granada was severely trashed by their neighbours of Sevilla on last weekend’s match at Sanchez Pizjuan. The Nazaríes failed to cope with a much stronger Sevilla and ended up conceding four goals, which might have left the team feeling quite unsettled for the matches to come.

Currently at the 14th place of the table, Granada are not yet safe from relegation; therefore, a win against Rayo would help the team reach the forty-point mark, an amount that might be sufficient to avoid relegation.

For next Saturday’s match against Rayo Vallecano, Lucas Alcaraz is not yet certain if he will be able to count on Recio and Fran Rico, since both midfielders are still recovering from their respective injuries.

Granada’s opponents for next Saturday (Rayo Vallecano) are currently enjoying their best moment of the season. The Paco Jémez’s boys only lost once in their last nine matches and although they are not as dangerous as when playing at home in Vallecas, they already managed to put up some quality results as, for example, the 3-2 win at Anoeta against Real Sociedad last month.

Last weekend, Rayo may have sentenced another Andalusia team, Real Bétis, to almost certain relegation, after having defeated them 3-1at Vallecas with goals from Rochina, Larrivey and an own goal from the Brazilian centre back Paulão.

In a recent interview, the team’s talented Spanish forward, Rubén Rochina, shared his head coach’s views and expressed his and his teammates’ motivation of seeing their side climb even higher in the league table. Rayo are currently at the 11th place of the table, just one point below Levante, currently occupying the 9th place.

For Saturday’s clash at Andalusia, Paco Jémez will not be able to count on the Romanian left back Rat, who is still suspended, and he is not yet certain if he will be able to count on the Spanish midfielders Jonathan Viera and Alberto Perea, who are still recovering from recent injuries.

When both sides measured forces at Madrid last December, the visitors surprised the hosts with a 2-0 win, with goals from Riki and Fran Rico, on what was a particularly difficult period for Rayo. Next Saturday, things will probably not be as easy for Granada, since they will face an extra-motivated team that tends to be very dangerous on the counter-attack when playing away from home and that currently might, in fact, have what is necessary to defeat the Andalusian side.

Granada

Stats: W-11 L-19 D-4

Recent Form - LLLWL

Rayo Vallecano

Stats: W-12 L-18 D-4

Recent Form - WLWDW

Possible Line-ups

Granada (4-3-3) - Roberto - Nyom - Ilori- Murillo - Foulquier - Buonanotte- Coeff - Iturra - Piti- El Arabi - Brahimi

Rayo Vallecano (4-2-3-1) - Rubén - Arbilla - Zé Castro - Gálvez - Nacho - Trashorras - Saúl - Rochina - Bueno - Falqué - Larrivey

Prediction

Granada 1 Rayo Vallecano 1