After having spent the last two weeks in other competitions, Athletic Club return to LaLiga action with a challenging away game against Rayo Vallecano.

Andoni Iraola’s side are back in the top flight this season and have been something of a revelation, currently holding the best home record in the league.

Marcelino’s Lions are unbeaten in LaLiga thus far in 2022 and another three points would put Athletic right in the mix for European places.

Match Info
Rayo Vallecano (Matchday 22)

Vallecas (Madrid)

LaLiga Santander 2021/22

Sunday January 23, 18:30 CET

How to Watch

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Team News

Athletic will travel to Madrid with a 19-man squad. Captain Iker Muniain is unavailable after testing positive for COVID-19. Oihan Sancet is out after injuring his knee against FC Barcelona.

Furthermore, defenders Yeray Álvarez and Oscar de Marcos drop out with hip injuries, while striker Asier Villalibre and Unai Vencedor are still ready for match action.

Juan Artola, who played for Bilbao Athletic on Saturday night, has been called up as cover and is heading down to Madrid on Sunday morning.

Marcelino’s Comments

Marcelino stressed Athletic will have to be at their very best to get something against Rayo Vallecano. He also insisted, despite a busy January that fatigue would be no excuse.

He said: “We’ll have it give it our all for another 90 minutes, but competing is always demanding like that.”

Catch up with what the Gaffer had to say at his pre-match press conference.

The Opponents

Founded in 1924, Rayo Vallecano have spent a total of 19 seasons in LaLiga Santander and competed in the UEFA Cup in 2000/01. They were crowned champions of the Segunda División in 2017/18, their first official title.

Former Athletic right-back Andoni Iraola is Rayo’s current head coach and at the moment they are seventh in the table with 28 points, three points and three places ahead of Athletic Club.

League position: 7th

Form over last five LaLiga matches: WLWLD

Last LaLiga match: 1-1 vs Real Betis (H)

Previous Meetings
Since their first LaLiga meeting, in the 1977-78 season, Rayo Vallecano and Athletic have each other 37 times in the top flight. The head-to-head record leans the Lions’ way with 19 wins, nine draws and nine defeats.

In terms of the matches played at Vallecas, it is all even stevens. Of the 18 encounters, Athletic Club have the same number of wins, defeats and draws, with six each.

Athletic have had some joy in their most recent trips to Vallecas, having lost only one of their last five matches at the ground. The last win there came in the 2015/16 campaign, Aritz Aduriz leading the Lions to victory with a hat-trick.