- Rayo Vallecano are unbeaten at home in LaLiga 2026/2027 with two wins and a draw from three fixtures.
- Athletic Bilbao are unbeaten in their last five matches with three wins and two draws.
Similar styles should make for close encounter
Saturday's late LaLiga 2026/2027 game at Campo de Futbol de Vallecas is expected to be a close encounter between two teams with similar goals for the campaign so far. Rayo Vallecano are twelfth in the table on eight points from seven games, whereas Athletic Bilbao are 10th on eight from six.
Benat San Jose's men have been much more positive in their approach and will attempt to control the ball against the more vertical, pressing Leones. Rayo have been a threat at home with a 2-1 win over Espanyol and a 1-1 draw at Osasuna following a 4-1 defeat at Real Madrid.
That result was no disgrace as they went toe-to-toe with the defending champions at the Bernabeu and came out on the wrong side of a close run affair. Franjirrojos are dangerous in the attacking third when midfielder Unai Lopez is pulling the strings as he has done for three assists in their last five games while Sergio Camello is their main threat at the other end with seven goals in seven games.
Athletic’s high-pressing style should suit Bilbao
Athletic will attempt to match the home side's energy levels in this game and Edin Terzic's high-tempo system has made them tough to beat with five unbeaten matches. The last two outings produced a 0-0 LaLiga draw at home to Deportivo Alaves and a 1-0 away win over Real Sociedad in a friendly. Robert Navarro is Athletic's chief outlet in the final third and has two goals in five LaLiga fixtures in 2026/2027, but the key for both sides will be the turnovers and space they can create behind Rayo's line. The match odds look about right with Bilbao being favoured at 13/10 with Rayo at 39/20 and the draw at 47/20 as they are hard to split. But we will take the visitors to just edge it because of their better form and the fact that they have taken four of the last five head-to-head meetings with Rayo winless in their last three at Vallecas.
Goal markets not likely to deliver
Backing Under 2.5 goals at 93/100 looks a sharp angle for this game as Athletic's pressing game should suit them in the away fixture, but we are still rolling the dice on both teams to score at 67/100 in case it gets cagey. Rayo have been unbeaten at home and Athletic have conceded just twice on their two away trips so the game could be tight for long periods.
