Total over 2.5
Rayo Vallecano is having a more than decent season. The team competes for European competitions and presents attractive football. After 23 rounds, he is 6th in the table.
“Pszczoły” try to play more aggressively in pressing and rebounding, in terms of the intensity of pressure on the opponent (pps = 9.5) they are in the top three. This tactic allows you to take the game away from the goal, which helps a lot in maintaining balance. On average, Rayo Vallecano creates and allows 1.2 xg per game.
Athletic Bilbao relies on organizing a solid defense and explosive counter-attacks. In terms of the direct speed of the ball moving towards the opponent’s goal, the “lions” are in the top quartet, and in terms of the number of expected goals conceded (xga = 19.6) they are second only to “Barcelona”.
However, the team’s defense has been failing more and more lately. Particularly revealing was the match against Girona (2: 3), in which Athletic scored 2 own goals.
Both teams play very aggressive pressing and have one of the highest defensive midlines. In the next match, the teams will feel the lack of personnel in the center of defence. Rayo Vallecano will not play main defender Catena and Athletic Alvarez. I suppose the match will prove to be as fruitful as in the first round.