Rayo Vallecano host Deportivo Alavés at Estadio de Vallecas on 20 August 2026, Matchday 2 of the 2026/27 La Liga season. The fixture sets up an awkward contrast: Alavés are joint top after a 3-0 opening day demolition of Getafe, while Rayo sit around 18th after losing 1-2 at Sevilla. Last season, Rayo finished on 50 points to Alavés' 43, so the table will sort itself out eventually but right now Rayo are the ones who need a result and Alavés are the ones who don't. Vallecas is a good place to go looking for one.
Beñat San José took over at Rayo in June 2026 following Íñigo Pérez's exit to Villarreal, while Quique Sánchez Flores has been at Alavés since March 2026 on a deal through June 2028. The two haven't faced each other often enough to draw much from the numbers. What matters more is that San José is working with an aggressive high press system he inherited from Pérez, while Quique has been quietly building a defensive structure that prioritises shape and compactness over all else.
Rayo's only competitive match this season was that loss in Seville, where the defensive problems they couldn't quite paper over in pre season became obvious fast, whereas Alavés were comfortable from the first whistle against Getafe. At Vallecas, though, momentum from the previous week counts for less than you'd think.
Rayo are dealing with a messy injury list. Luiz Felipe is out for several months with a hamstring injury, Marash Kumbulla is doubtful with a muscular problem and Andrei Rațiu is carrying a knock of his own. Their likely 4-2-3-1 lines up with Augusto Batalla in goal, Rațiu, Florian Lejeune, Pathé Ciss and Iván Balliu across the back, Óscar Valentín and Unai López sitting in midfield, and Jorge de Frutos, Isi Palazón and Álvaro García behind Randy Nteka.
Alavés are short too, losing a striker option and a centre back in one go: Lucas Boyé is limited after missing the opener with a muscular problem and Facundo Garcés is suspended. Quique will likely go with a 3-5-2 of Antonio Sivera in goal, Nahuel Tenaglia, Ville Koski and Jonny Otto across the back three, Ángel Pérez, Pablo Ibáñez, Antonio Blanco, Denis Suárez and Abderrahman Rebbach in midfield, and Toni Martínez or Mariano Díaz up front.
Rayo's high press feeds off the Vallecas crowd and when it clicks, it makes life miserable for sides trying to build from the back. Alavés do build from the back under Quique, which sets up a real dilemma: Denis Suárez and Antonio Blanco will need to find pockets of space before Rayo's double pivot can shut them down. If Jonny Otto and Nahuel Tenaglia get forward effectively as wing backs, they could stretch Rayo's shape but Palazón and García defend hard. Toni Martínez is their main striker option but if Rayo's press is on, he won't see much of the ball. Lejeune is a threat from corners and free kicks and in a tight game that could be the deciding factor.
Rayo won the most recent meeting 2-1 at home in May 2026. The current managerial head to head doesn't have enough meetings to be meaningful but Rayo's home record in this fixture is the number worth focusing on.
Rayo Vallecano 1-0 Deportivo Alavés. Alavés were excellent against Getafe but Getafe aren't Vallecas on a matchday night. The press and the atmosphere should be enough to put Rayo ahead and once they have a lead to defend, Alavés without Garcés at centre back look short of the aerial presence and defensive cover needed to chase the game, with Palazón or Nteka the likeliest source of the decisive goal.
Ryan Baldi
Football Writer
Ryan Baldi is a professional football writer with years of experience and has been featured by respected outlets such as the BBC, The Guardian, Sky Sports, DAZN, FourFourTwo, ESPN, Yahoo Sport and Football365. He has also written several books including Arsène Who?.
