Round 20 of La Liga will be rounded off by the match between Rayo Vallecano (8-5-6) and UD Almeria (6-4-9). It's time to check our La Liga odds series, starring our Rayo-Almeria prediction and pick.
After failing to secure wins over Real Sociedad and Real Betis Balompie, the Thunderbolts hope that this home match will result in a win to avoid three straight defeats at Madrid. Rayo occupies the eighth spot in the Spanish football table.
Almeria currently sits at 14th place, but a three-point buffer over Cadiz still puts them in a relegation scare. Almeria aims to preserve its three-game unbeaten streak, with draws earned from Atletico Madrid and Valencia and a 3-1 win over Espanyol.
Here are the Rayo-Almeria soccer odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
La Liga Odds: Rayo-Almeria Odds
Rayo: -140
Almeria: +390
Draw:+250
Over 2.5 Goals: +108
Under 2.5 Goals: -130
How to Watch Rayo vs. Almeria
TV: DAZN, ESPN Deportes
Stream: ESPN+, fuboTV
Time: 3 PM ET / 12 PM PT
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Why Rayo Can Beat Almeria
Andoni Iraola's squad finished 12th on their return to La Liga last season. Significant all-around improvement has been seen on the team, and they are currently eyeing a first top-half finish in Spain's top flight since getting eighth place in the 2012-13 campaign. Los Vallecanos have earned 29 points from their opening 19 matches of this campaign, just two points behind Villarreal and Betis.
The Red Sashes have also had a good run in the Copa del Rey, winning over CFJ Mollerussa and Atletico Saguntino, but Sporting Gijon sent them home in the Round of 32. If they continue their productive campaign, the Vallecans may return to the UEFA Conference League if they knock off Real Betis in the sixth spot.
On Monday night, Andoni Iraola’s squad enjoyed another victory, beating Villarreal 1-0, courtesy of Sergio Camello’s 70th-minute goal off of an assist by Oscar Trejo at Estadio de la Cerámica. Camello is now tied with Isi Palazon as the squad's leading goalscorers with five goals, while Alvaro Garcia and Florian Lejeune each have three. Trejo is also tied with Camello and Trejo with three assists for the club. The Thunderbolts have now registered 25 goals in 19 games, but they conceded 22 and kept seven clean sheets.
Rayo owns the fifth-best away record in La Liga this season, but they have only picked up 14 points from their nine games at home. Los Vallecanos have now won five of their last 11 games, but they incurred two losses at home. With this game held at Estadio de Vallecas, Rayo will be determined to snatch all three points in front of their own crowd. Rayo Vallecano has defeated Almeria four times in the last six home clashes, but they suffered a 3-1 defeat when they locked horns with Almeria way back in October.
Why Almeria Can Beat Rayo
Almería will not pose themselves as easy opponents. The Segunda División winners last season are in 14th place, but they aim to get the three points here to a potential 11th-place finish, their highest position in the top flight in recent years.
Although they started January with an 0-2 loss to Real Sociedad, Rubi’s team was victorious in their last match, beating Espanyol 3-1, which now brings their unbeaten run to three games. They now have 22 points to their name earned from six wins and four draws in 19 matches. They have only found the back of the net 23 times and surrendered 29. They have also just kept one clean sheet all season.
Luis Javier Suárez, Léo Baptistão, and Adrian Embarba will be possibly slotted in the forward slots. Lucas Rebertone, Gonzalo Melero, and Cesar de la Hoz will be appearing in the midfield. Securing the win here is crucial for the Los Rojiblancos – they are still winless on the road, picking up points from their draws at Cádiz, Valencia, and Elche.
Rubi will have to make defensive adjustments in this game. Sergio Akieme, Srdan Babic, Rodrigo ly, and Alejandro Pozo are primed to hold a tight backline defense. Diego Marino, the squad's latest signee, might not yet get his place between the goalposts as Fernando Martinez will likely start as the goalie for this match.
Final Rayo-Almeria Prediction & Pick
Rayo Vallecano has not won at home in its last three fixtures, so they are looking to feed off the chants of their supporters. Almeria will eventually win at least one game on the road, but the Vallecans will likely grab this win at home.
Final Rayo-Almeria Prediction & Pick: Rayo (-140)
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