Rayo Vallecano vs Granada Prediction: Visitors to fail at 18th attempt

Rayo Vallecano host Granada at Campo de Futbol de Vallecas on Wednesday evening (KO, 18:30) looking for a win to boost their La Liga survival hopes.

Read below for my Rayo Vallecano vs Granada prediction, where you can also find out all the latest team news and match odds ahead of this midweek clash in Madrid.

A 1-0 win for 18th-placed Cadiz over Getafe on Sunday afternoon added pressure onto Rayo ahead of their trip to Valencia in the evening, but Los Franjirrojos responded well and ground out a point in a goalless draw at the Mestalla to put themselves six points clear of the relegation zone.

One more victory for Rayo would likely be enough to secure their top-tier status for another year, given the superior goal difference they enjoy over Cadiz.

Granada have been playing for pride for a few weeks now, but they will want to make sure they at least stay in 19th and avoid being overtaken by Almeria, who are four points behind them.

Their last two games have seen them suffer heavy defeats, however, with Real Madrid hitting them for four without reply at home and Sevilla beating them 3-0 in Andalusia.

Team News

Diego Mendez remains injured for the hosts, who have a few notable ex-Premier League players on their books including Radamel Falcao and Bebe, both of whom were unused substitutes on Sunday.

Falcao and Bebe are unlikely to start against Granada, but Isi Palazon and Pep Chavarria are among those pushing for starts after featuring off the bench against Valencia.

The visitors are likely to be without both Kamil Jozwiak and Antonio Puertas on Wednesday, with the former taken off at half-time against Real Madrid after sustaining a muscle injury.

Miguel Rubio will return, though, after serving a suspension against the Champions League finalists.

Rayo Vallecano vs Granada Odds

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The hosts are 4/6 to secure all three points and ease any relegation concerns, giving them an implied win probability of 60%, while Granada are 9/2, or an 18.2% chance, to win their first match on the road this season.

The draw can be backed at 11/4, both teams to score at 11/10, and over 2.5 goals also at 11/10.

Rayo Vallecano to win to nil @ 7/5

With a trip to FC Barcelona and a season finale with Athletic Club to follow, a home game against already-relegated Granada on Wednesday represents Rayo's best chance of securing the one win they need to stay up.

Granada did triumph a couple of times last month, beating both Deportivo Alaves and Osasuna, but both of those wins were at home, where they are a completely different side.

On the road, they have been abysmal, losing 14 of their first 17 La Liga away games and picking up just three points from three draws.

Only Almeria (eight) have claimed fewer points at home than Rayo (17) this season, but over half (nine) of those have been won in their last six games.

Before a shock 1-0 defeat to Almeria last time out at Campo de Futbol de Vallecas, Rayo were unbeaten in five there, keeping two clean sheets and conceding just three times in that run, which included contests against Real Madrid (1-1) and Real Betis (2-0).

Granada have scored just 13 goals on their travels this term and have blanked in three of their last four away from home, so a Rayo win to nil looks like the play here with so much riding on it for the hosts.

Half-time/full-time - Rayo Vallecano/Rayo Vallecano @ 6/4

Granada haven't been in front at half-time in any of their 17 La Liga away matches so far, and they have been losing at the interval in 11 of them.

Rayo certainly aren't masters at taking a lead in the first 45 minutes, but they did go a goal in front on 40 minutes against Betis and added another in the second half in a 2-0 victory two months ago.

Granada at home is the ideal fixture for any team in La Liga, so Rayo should relish the opportunity to go at them from the first minute.

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