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Opposition lowdown: Rayo Vallecano
Rayo Vallecano are the first visitors of the season to the RCDE Stadium
Rayo Vallecano are the first visitors of the season to the RCDE Stadium as they look to build on a decent opening display.
They were also in Barcelona then, holding FC Barcelona to a goalless draw to start the new LaLiga campaign. Having secured their best top-flight finish since 2015, Rayo will be keen to build on the foundations laid last season.
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Name: Rayo Vallecano de Madrid SAD
Nickname: Los Franjirrojos (The Red Sashes)
Manager: Andoni Iraola
Stadium: Campo de Fútbol de Vallecas - 14,708 capacity
Last game: D 0-0 vs FC Barcelona
Last season: 12th
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Last meeting
The two sides met in April towards the end of last season in what proved to be a closely fought game. A first half effort from Sergi Guardiola saw Rayo come away with a 1-0 win at the RCDE Stadium, moving the visitors closer to eventual safety.
That result summed up how little separated Espanyol and Rayo last year. Both league meetings saw only one goal between them, and they finished level on points two positions apart, only split on head-to-head points at the end of the season.
Key player
Álvaro García was Rayo’s talisman last season and will look to build on those performances once more.
A tricky winger who plays on the left of the Franjirrojos frontline, García was ever-present in the side that finished twelfth in LaLiga. He had an impressive campaign last year, registering seven goals and five assists for Rayo.
Old school reunion
Just two months after departing the Pericos, Diego López returns to the RCDE Stadium as a Rayo player. The 40-year-old goalkeeper signed on a one-year deal to bolster the side’s goalkeeping ranks and was an unused substitute at the Camp Nou last Saturday.
López made 213 appearances during his time with Espanyol, the third-most of any goalkeeper in the club’s history. He also played a key role in his final season, captaining the side for most of the campaign while making 36 league appearances.
Club links
Espanyol legend Raúl Tamudo spent the vast majority of his career in the Blanquiazul shirt, but the club with whom he made the second-most appearances for was in fact Rayo Vallecano.
Tamudo scored 11 goals in 37 appearances at Rayo, joining the club on two separate stints towards the end of his career. Of course, he also stands as Espanyol’s all-time leading goalscorer with 140 goals where he is most adored.