The Rojiblancos lock horns with Los Franjirrojos! It’s time to check the start of the Spanish League with our La Liga odds series, starring our UD Almeria-Rayo Vallecano prediction, pick, and how to watch guide!
Unión Deportiva Almería is entering its 35th season and second consecutive season in La Liga, the top flight of association football in Spain, for the 2023-24 season. They will also be competing in the Copa del Rey.
Rayo Vallecano is celebrating their 100th season and will be competing in La Liga for the third consecutive year. They will also participate in the Copa del Rey.
Here are the UD Almeria-Rayo Vallecano soccer odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
La Liga Odds: UD Almeria-Rayo Vallecano Odds
UD Almeria: +140
Rayo Vallecano: +190
Draw: +230
Over 2.5 Goals: -110
Under 2.5 Goals: -110
How to Watch UD Almeria vs. Rayo Vallecano
TV: ESPN Deportes, M+ LALIGA TV, LaLigaTV
Stream: ESPN+, fuboTV, DirecTV Stream, Bet365, Movistar+
Time: 1:30 PM ET/ 10:30 AM PT
*Watch soccer LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why UD Almeria Can Beat Rayo Vallecano
The home side, Almeria, achieved promotion to the Spanish top-flight last season for the first time since the 2014-15 campaign. Although they had their struggles in La Liga last season, they ultimately confirmed survival on the final day with a dramatic 3-3 draw against Espanyol, finishing 17th in the league table, one point above the drop zone.
In their recent friendly outings, Almeria had an inconsistent run but managed to remain unbeaten in most of them, with four out of five pre-season friendlies ending in draws or wins. The Almeriensistas opened their pre-season campaign with a 7-0 win over CD El Ejido and closed their games with a 1-0 victory over Granada. In three games sandwiched between those victories, draws were earned against Las Palmas (0-0) and Antequera (1-1), but they had a 1-0 loss to Malaga. They have also had decent form at home, remaining unbeaten in five of their last six home matches.
Almeria's former coach, Rubi, departed the club at the expiration of his contract in June and has been replaced by Vicente Moreno, who will be targeting a positive start to his tenure in Andalusia. The team's latest result ended a three-game winless streak, and they will be looking to build on that momentum in their upcoming match.
Almeria has few personnel issues, with Martin Svidersky being a long-term absentee. Leo Baptistao, who was the third-best goalscorer last season, will miss the game due to an ankle injury but is expected to return in early October. Almeria's primary goal this season is to secure survival in La Liga. However, new signings Luis Suarez, Dion Lopy, and Edgar González could make their debut in the upcoming match. Notable exits from the team include César de la Hoz, Francisco Portillo, and Nikola Maraš.
Why Rayo Vallecano Can Beat UD Almeria
Rayo Vallecano had a solid campaign last season, finishing 11th in the league table with 49 points from 38 games, their joint-highest points tally in their last seven seasons in the Spanish top-flight. The club also participated in the Copa del Rey, losing in the round of 32 to second-division side Sporting Gijón.
However, they are currently on a four-match winless streak and have won just one of their last six matches. They have also lost their last five away league games, indicating that they may struggle in their upcoming match. The Red Sashes initially won over Panathinaikos (0-1), but had 1-1 draws with RC Sporting Charleroi, FC Porto, and Brighton & Hove Albion. They also had a 3-2 defeat to Real Valladolid in early August.
The visitors will also begin the new season under a new head coach, Francisco Rodríguez after former boss Andoni Iraola left the club to join Premier League side Bournemouth. Rayo Vallecano has made some changes to their squad, with the departure of three starting players from last season: left full-back Fran Garcia, central defender Alejandro Catena, and midfielder Santi Comesana. They have added Alfonso Espino and Aridane Hernandez to replace Garcia and Catena, respectively, and signed central defender Florian Lejeune on a permanent deal.
Despite their recent struggles, Rayo Vallecano has no injury issues ahead of their upcoming match and could hand debuts to Espino, Hernandez, and Lejeune. Overall, Rayo Vallecano has been a mid-table team in their two seasons in La Liga, but they have the potential to improve and have shown success despite having a lower market value than many of their competitors.
Final UD Almeria-Rayo Vallecano Prediction & Pick
Both teams split the results last season, but Rayo has been able to produce goals against Almeria's net. The hosts will make this a high-scoring game, but the visitors look destined for a win.
Final UD Almeria-Rayo Vallecano Prediction & Pick: Rayo Vallecano (+190), Over 2.5 goals (-110)