Betis have won each of their last four home meetings with Alaves without conceding a goal, and they have not lost to the visitors at the Estadio de Vallecas since 2018. Thursday's Rayo Vallecano vs Alaves meeting comes with that history sitting over it, even before the wider league numbers are taken into account.
Rayo's record at Vallecas
Rayo finished eighth in La Liga with 50 points last season, which gives them the better baseline in this matchup. Alaves finished 14th with 43 points, and the road record was the weaker part of their season.
Alaves won only four away games last season and lost 11. They also conceded 56 league goals, a figure that fits with why away trips were such a problem. Rayo's home trend against them is even cleaner than the league table suggests, with four straight wins and four straight clean sheets in this fixture at Vallecas.
Alaves bring momentum, but the venue still matters
Alaves arrive after beating Getafe 3-0 on the opening day, and the performance was helped by Kiko Femenia's dismissal before half-time. That result will lift the mood around the squad, but it does not change the scale of the task in Madrid.
Sports Mole's preview put it plainly enough: "Four home wins against Alaves without conceding a single goal is a record that commands respect." That is the right reading here. Rayo have the stronger case because the home advantage is backed by the head-to-head record, while Alaves still have to prove they can carry their better start onto a difficult away pitch.
The meeting is set for 20 August, and the strongest evidence points to Rayo controlling another low-scoring game at Vallecas.
Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →
