Match Pack: Athletic Club vs Rayo Vallecano (LaLiga MD15)
Match Pack: Athletic Club vs Rayo Vallecano (LaLiga MD15)
On a run of consecutive LaLiga matches without defeat, Los Leones will be looking for another three vital points at San Mames
Athletic Club welcome Rayo Vallecano to Bilbao as we look to maintain our spot among the European places. Ernesto Valverde's Lions have lost just once at home so far this season, and will be hoping to keep it that way.
Rayo's impressive away record sees them sit in 10th place in the LaLiga EA Sports standings, so it is sure to be an intense and exciting clash at San Mames.
Match Info
Athletic Club vs Rayo Vallecano
San Mames, Bilbao
LaLiga EA Sports 23/24 (Matchday 15)
Saturday December 2, 16:15 CET
How to Watch
A complete TV guide with global channels and kick-off times for the fixture.
Team News
Valverde has named a 23-man squad for the match in Bilbao.
Yeray Álvarez and Dani García remain on the sidelines. But Yuri Berchiche is back in the squad after recovering from injury.
Valverde's Comments
The gaffer warned Athletic are in for a tough test against "the best away side in LaLiga" but he expects his Lions to keep up their good home form at fortress San Mames.
The Opponents
Head coach: Francisco
Francisco Javier Rodríguez Vílchez, better known as just Francisco, took charge at Vallecas this summer, replacing former Athletic player Andoni Iraola.
An experienced player, Francisco spent most of his career at hometown club UD Almería. After hanging up his boots, he moved into coaching, eventually taking over at Almería in 2013/14.
Since then he has led a range of clubs, including CD Lugo, SD Huesca, Girona FC and Elche CF.
Top goalscorer: Álvaro García
The left-winger is Rayo's current top scorer in LaLiga with four goals in 13 appearances, already just one strike away from equalling his 2022/23 return of five goals in 35 matches.
García joined Rayo from Cádiz in 2018 and has played 119 games, scoring 20 times to date.
Recent form: WLLDL
A strong away record has propped up Francisco's side so far in the 2023/24 campaign. Their only loss on the road this season came against Real Betis back in September.
Previous Meetings
Our first LaLiga encounter with Rayo Vallecano was a 3-2 defeat at Vallecas back in the 1977/78 campaign. Los Leones have faced Rayo 40 times in total in the top-flight, with 21 victories, 10 draws and nine losses.
As for matches in Bilbao, the Zurigorri have registered 14 wins, three draws and three losses.
Athletic have only suffered on defeat in our last five clashes with Rayo at The Cathedral.
Los Rojiblancos won 3-2 in the corresponding fixture last season. Iñaki Williams, Oihan Sancet and Nico Williams were on the scoresheet in a thriller at The Cathedral.