Following a short break for the Christmas holidays, the Spanish La Liga returns with a Friday night clash between Rayo Vallecano and Getafe.
The hosts are aiming to extend a solid home record, while the visitors are struggling to find their feet at the moment.
Rayo Vallecano head into Friday's clash off the back of a 4-0 defeat at Elche in their previous La Liga fixture. That result saw them drop to 15th in the table, with Inigo Perez’s men just three points above the relegation zone.
The good news for Rayo Vallecano is that they are back at the Estadio de Vallecas, which has been a fortress lately. They are unbeaten in their last seven home matches, claiming four wins on this run.
Getafe are also coming off a 4-0 defeat as they were beaten at Real Betis last time out in La Liga. They are also in the bottom half of the table, two points above the hosts.
That was the fourth consecutive defeat in all competitions for Getafe, who appear to be in the middle of a slump. Jose Bordalas' men have also found things difficult on their travels, losing four of their last five away matches in all competitions.
How the bookies view it: Vallecano with the edge
Rayo Vallecano have the upper hand among the bookies and are priced at 23/20 by Betfred to claim the win. A victory for Getafe is valued at 31/10 by bet365, while a draw is set at odds of 19/10 by William Hill.
Head to head: Vallecano on top
Rayo Vallecano have a 13-8 advantage, with nine draws in the last 30 matches against Getafe. The hosts claimed a 1-0 victory in the last meeting back in May.
Players to watch: Eyes on Garcia
Alvaro Garcia carries a goal threat from midfield and has scored three La Liga goals this season. He will be the one to watch on Friday (Alvaro Garcia anytime goalscorer – valued at 3/1 by Betfred).
Getafe can also hold their own going forward and will look to Borja Mayoral to provide the spark. The striker will be aiming to add to his four La Liga goals (Borja Mayoral anytime goalscorer – priced at 5/2 by bet365).
Probable line-ups:
Rayo Vallecano are without Jorge de Frutos, Alemao, and defender Ivan Balliu, who are all sidelined with injury. Florian Lejeune should hold the fort in defence, while Sergio Camello is set to start in attack.
Abu Kamara and Coba da Costa are both ruled out for Getafe through injury. Javier Munoz could earn a start on Friday, while Borja Mayoral is likely to continue in attack.
Rayo Vallecano: Batalla, Perez, Lejeune, Mendy, Chavarria, Lopez, Valentin, Pacha, Palazon, Garcia, Camello.
Getafe: Soria, Iglesias, Duarte, Djene, Nyom, Femenia, Milla, Arambarri, Martin, Liso, Camello.
Anything else catch the eye?
Rayo Vallecano have scored first in two of their last three home matches (Rayo Vallecano to score first – offered at 4/5 by Ladbrokes). Four of Getafe's last five matches have produced over 1.5 goals – valued at 8/13 by bet365.
There have been goals in both halves in four of Getafe's last five matches (Goal in both halves – available at 13/10 by William Hill).
Sometimes it pays to lock in your winnings early. Read our Cash-Out guide to know when it's worth pressing the button.
GambleAware