Celta Vigo — Rayo Vallecano Prediction, H2H and Probable Lineups — 18 January 2026
On January 18, 2026, in Matchday 20 of La Liga, Celta Vigo will host Rayo Vallecano. The match is scheduled to kick off at 18:30 Central European Time. Let’s take a closer look at the potential outcome of this clash.
Celta Vigo
Celta approach this match in very solid form. The team has gone five consecutive matches without losing in regular time. Their last three games were in the league: first a draw against Oviedo, followed by two victories — a convincing 4–1 win over Valencia at home and a narrow 1–0 away win against Sevilla.
However, one of these recent outings still left a negative impression. After drawing in regular time, Celta lost to Segunda División side Albacete and were eliminated from the Copa del Rey at the Round of 32 stage.
In La Liga, Celta are doing quite well overall. The team currently sits seventh in the table with 29 points, the same total as Betis, and trails the Champions League zone by nine points. At home, however, Celta have been far from convincing. By this metric, they rank only 15th in La Liga, having collected just 11 points from 10 home matches, with an even goal difference of 13 scored and 13 conceded. That said, if we look at the most recent home performances, Celta have won their last two games there — first against Athletic Bilbao and then against Valencia.
Celta are in a tough spot in the Europa League. They currently sit 19th in the table but still have a chance of making the playoffs.
As for home matches against Rayo Vallecano, Celta have also faced some difficulties in recent encounters. They have failed to win their last two home games against this opponent, recording one draw and one defeat.
Rayo Vallecano
Rayo Vallecano approach this match in a poor mood. The team were knocked out of the Copa del Rey in the Round of 16 after a 0–2 defeat to Alavés. This loss also ended a solid unbeaten streak that had stretched to three consecutive matches. In their most recent La Liga fixture, Rayo managed a home victory over Mallorca 2–1. At the moment, Rayo Vallecano sit in 10th place in the league table with 22 points, trailing the European qualification zone by seven points. One of the main issues for the team this season has been their lack of goals. With just 16 goals scored, Rayo have one of the weakest attacking records in La Liga.
When it comes to away form, Rayo have been quite inconsistent. In their last five away matches across all competitions, they have suffered three defeats. As for European competitions, in the UEFA Conference League the team finished the group stage in fifth place and now awaits an opponent in the play-off round.
Regarding head-to-head meetings with Celta, Rayo have performed confidently against this opponent in recent years. Over the last five matches between the two sides, Rayo have remained unbeaten, recording three draws and two wins. Notably, the last three encounters between these teams saw both sides find the back of the net.
Probable Lineups
- Celta Vigo: Radu, Alonso, Starfelt, Javi Rodriguez, Mingueza, Miguel Roman, Moriba, Carreira, Swedberg, Zaragoza, Iglesias
- Rayo Vallecano: Batalla, Espino, Lejeune, Mendy, Pep Chavarría, Gumbau, Diaz, Alvaro, Palazón, Carlos Martin, Jorge De Frutos
Key Facts and Head-to-Head
- Celta Vigo have won or drawn 7 of their last 8 matches.
- Rayo Vallecano have won or drawn 6 of their last 8 matches.
- In 3 of Rayo Vallecano’s last 4 matches, both teams scored.
- 3 of Rayo Vallecano’s last 4 away matches have seen over 2.5 goals.
- Rayo Vallecano have won or drawn 6 of the last 7 head-to-head meetings.
- In 3 of the last 4 head-to-head meetings, both teams scored.
Celta Vigo — Rayo Vallecano Prediction
Ahead of this clash, both teams come into this match in fairly similar form. Celta are currently on an unbeaten run in recent games and have won their last two home matches. The team are positioned close to the European qualification spots in La Liga, although they were recently knocked out of the domestic cup. At the same time, Celta continue their fight for a place in the Europa League playoffs. As for Rayo Vallecano, the team sit in mid-table and overall have been showing a solid level this season. Looking at the head-to-head record, Rayo have had the upper hand in recent meetings, remaining unbeaten against Celta in their last five encounters. The last three matches between these sides have all seen goals scored by both teams. Considering the current form of both teams, Celta’s motivation to finally end this negative run against Rayo, and Rayo’s desire to respond after their cup elimination and improve their league position, this match has all the ingredients to be a competitive, entertaining and potentially high-scoring contest, with a strong chance that both teams will find the net once again. My bet for this match: Both Teams to score — Yes at odds of 1.92.
