Rayo Vallecano vs Espanyol prediction, odds and how to watch

Barcelona put five past Rayo Vallecano on Monday night, with Raphinha bagging a brace and Lamine Yamal adding two more in a performance that underlined exactly why you do not come to Camp Nou and sit off. Rayo competed in patches but were ultimately nowhere near good enough.

Rayo Vallecano looked set to take all three points at Vallecas after going ahead early in the second half, but a late equaliser from an Alaves substitute exposed a structural problem Rayo's coaching staff will want to address quickly.

Real Madrid took all three points at RCDE Stadium with a late substitute's goal, but the match statistics painted a picture of a side carrying significant defensive fragility and a game plan that relied heavily on resilience rather than control.

Osasuna host Rayo Vallecano at El Sadar on Sunday needing to arrest a damaging run of form, but the visitors arrive with their own defensive structure showing real promise in the early weeks of the season.

Espanyol welcome Elche to RCDE Stadium on Sunday with both clubs carrying questions about defensive structure and consistency. The tactical shape of this match could matter more than the names on the teamsheet.

Rayo Vallecano have kept back-to-back clean sheets at Vallecas this season, but Espanyol travel to Madrid carrying a positive away xG record and a point to make. The numbers tell one story. The structure tells another.

Osasuna host Espanyol on Sunday carrying the weight of five consecutive defeats, while their visitors arrive with a recent upturn in overall form that their wretched away record threatens to undermine completely.

Real Madrid return to home soil carrying a significant injury burden and a sixth-place league standing, while Rayo Vallecano arrive quietly organised and with very little to lose. This is a fixture that will tell us something about how Madrid are actually coping right now.