Friday night lights in Madrid—and it's a street fight for pride and possibly Europe as Rayo Vallecano welcome cross-town rivals Getafe to the fiery Estadio de Vallecas.
Just two points separate these evenly matched mid-table warriors, with Rayo sitting 11th on 41 points and Getafe breathing down their necks in 12th. The dream of sneaking into Europe may be fading, but with eight golden tickets on offer, neither side is waving the white flag just yet.
Rayo Vallecano limp into this Friday showdown after being humbled 3-0 by Atletico Madrid, and the wounds from that derby defeat still sting. Injuries are piling up, form is fading fast, and the cracks in their squad are starting to show.
Winless in four and with just a single point to show for it, Rayo are in desperate need of a spark—but they do have history on their side. Getafe haven't beaten them since February 2019, with eight meetings since producing six draws and two Rayo victories.
The injury list is a headache: Randy Nteka limped off against Atleti, while Abdul Mumin, Sergio Camello, and Joni Montiel are all out. And if that wasn't enough, key full-back Andrei Ratiu is suspended—leaving Rayo stretched thin in both legs and luck.
Rayo Vallecano predicted lineup vs Getafe: Batalla (GK), Espino, Ciss, Lejuene, Fernandez, Lopez, Valentin, Garcia, Diaz, Palazon & Guardiola.
Getafe's spring spark has fizzled out, and last week's 1-0 loss to Real Madrid made it three defeats on the bounce—two of them without a single goal scored. Once climbing the table with real momentum, José Bordalás' side now look more like they're stuck in reverse.
Still, they've been road warriors in 2025, snatching eight wins from 11 away games in all competitions. That gritty travel form might just give them hope heading into Vallecas.
Discipline and fitness, however, remain issues. Christantus Uche is still banned for his rash stamp against Espanyol, Álvaro Rodríguez joins him on the sidelines due to suspension, and veteran Allan Nyom remains out nursing a thigh injury. It's a patched-up Getafe, but one that still knows how to scrap away from home.
Getafe predicted lineup vs Rayo Vallecano: Soria (GK), Djene, Duarte, Berrocal, Alderete, Iglesias, Terrats, Arambari, Milla, Bernat & Mayoral.
Time is ticking fast for both Rayo Vallecano and Getafe as the battle for that precious eighth spot—and a ticket to Europe—heats up. With just two points between them, Friday's clash at Vallecas feels like a make-or-break moment. The loser could very well wave goodbye to their continental dreams.
And with the stakes this high, Vallecano will know there's no better time to snap their winless run. Backed by their home fans and boasting a strong record against Getafe in recent years, los Franjirrojos really should be taking all three points here.
Prediction: Rayo Vallecano wins.
