Fri Jan 31 19:00:00 UTC 2025: ## Leganés and Rayo Vallecano Face Off in Crucial Madrid Derby

**Leganés, Spain** – Leganés and Rayo Vallecano clash in a crucial Madrid derby at Butarque Stadium this weekend, both teams arriving in strong form. Neither side has tasted defeat in La Liga in 2025. Leganés, additionally, is still alive in the Copa del Rey, facing a quarter-final clash against Real Madrid soon.

Despite the upcoming Copa del Rey match, Leganés is focused on securing their La Liga status, currently sitting just three points above the relegation zone. Recent victories against Atlético Madrid and a draw against Athletic Bilbao, along with an earlier win over Barcelona, have earned them the moniker “giant-killers,” but the team acknowledges the need to consolidate their position. The club hopes to strengthen its squad before the transfer window closes, having already seen the departures of Sébastien Haller and Jackson Porozo.

Rayo Vallecano, with 29 points, aims to further distance themselves from the relegation zone, targeting around 40 points for safety. They arrive unbeaten in their last seven league matches (three wins, four draws), hoping to extend that run before facing bottom-placed Valladolid next week. Several changes to their starting XI are anticipated, with potential inclusions of Oscar Valentín, Álvaro García, and Randy Nteka.

The historical record heavily favors Rayo Vallecano, who have won 14 of the previous 29 encounters. However, Leganés has won two out of three prior La Liga meetings against Rayo.

The match will be officiated by Alejandro Quintero González. The predicted lineups are:

**Leganés:** Dmitrovic; Rosier, Sergio González, Nastasic, Javi Hernandez; Neyou, Tapia; Juan Cruz, Cissé, Dani Raba; and Miguel de la Fuente.

**Rayo Vallecano:** Batalla; Ratiu, Mumin, Lejeune, Chavarría; Pathé Ciss, Valentín; Isi, De Frutos, Álvaro; Nteka.

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