Real Ávila vs Rayo Vallecano: Preview, Prediction, Lineups | Copa del Rey 2025/26

On: December 3, 2025 1:16 AM

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Real Ávila vs Rayo Vallecano — Match Preview

The magic of the Copa del Rey arrives at the Estadio Adolfo Suárez this Thursday as Segunda Federación side Real Ávila host La Liga regulars Rayo Vallecano.¹

For Real Ávila, this is the biggest match of their season. Currently sitting in the playoff spots of the fourth tier, they have shown they can score goals, with recent impressive results against Salamanca UDS and Valladolid Promesas. The 6,000-capacity stadium will be packed to the rafters as they look to replicate the giant-killing feats of lower-league sides past.

Rayo Vallecano arrive in Ávila with a point to prove. Their season has hit a slight wobble, with a disappointing 1-2 European loss to Slovan Bratislava followed by a gritty 1-1 draw against Valencia on Monday. Manager Iñigo Pérez will demand professionalism, but with a tight schedule, heavy rotation is expected. The return of Isi Palazón from suspension provides a timely boost, but can the “B-team” handle the pressure of a hostile away cup tie?²

Real Ávila vs Rayo Vallecano — Quick Match Info

Fixture: Real Ávila vs Rayo Vallecano³
Competition: Copa del Rey (Second Round)⁴
Venue: Estadio Adolfo Suárez, Ávila (Capacity: 6,000)⁵
Date: Thursday, 04 December 2025⁶
Kickoff Time: 18:00 CET / 17:00 GMT / 22:30 IST
Referee: TBC
TV Channel (Spain): Movistar+, RTVE Play
TV Channel (International): ESPN+ (USA)
Live Stream: FanCode (India – TBC), Movistar+ App

Real Ávila vs Rayo Vallecano — Match Context (2025/26 Season)

Real Ávila:

League: Segunda Federación (Group 1).⁷
Form: Competitive (L-D-W-D-L). They lost 1-0 to Marino de Luanco last weekend but were unbeaten in three prior to that.
Current Challenge: Defensive Discipline. They have conceded in their last 3 games. Against La Liga opposition, any defensive lapse will be fatal.

Rayo Vallecano:

League: La Liga.
Form: Stuttering (D-L-D-D-W). Winless in their last three matches across all competitions. The 1-1 draw vs Valencia saw them concede a frustrating own goal after leading.⁸
Current Challenge: Breaking down a low block. Rayo often struggles when they have the majority of possession but lack penetration.

Real Ávila vs Rayo Vallecano — What’s at Stake

For Real Ávila:

History & Finances: A win puts them into the Round of 32, potentially setting up a lucrative tie against Real Madrid or Barcelona.

For Rayo Vallecano:

Avoiding Embarrassment: Losing to a 4th-tier side would be a disaster for Iñigo Pérez’s tenure. They need a comfortable win to restore morale before their next La Liga fixture vs Espanyol.

Real Ávila vs Rayo Vallecano — Team Form

Real Ávila (Last 5 Matches):

L vs Marino de Luanco (0-1)
D vs Valladolid Promesas (2-2)⁹
W vs Salamanca UDS (3-1)
D vs Numancia (0-0)
L vs Sarriana (0-2)¹⁰

Rayo Vallecano (Last 5 Matches):

D vs Valencia (1-1)
L vs Slovan Bratislava (1-2 – UECL)¹¹
D vs Real Oviedo (0-0)¹²
D vs Real Madrid (0-0)
W vs Lech Poznan (3-2 – UECL)

Real Ávila vs Rayo Vallecano — Team News

Real Ávila:

Key Man: Runy is the danger man. He scored in back-to-back games against Salamanca and Valladolid Promesas recently.
Injuries: No major injury concerns reported.¹³ They will field their strongest possible XI.
Goalkeeper: Samuel Rodríguez made heroics in the draw against Valladolid B and will be busy again.¹⁴

Rayo Vallecano:

Isi Palazón: Available. Missed the Valencia game due to suspension but is fresh for this tie.
Abdul Mumin: Out (Knee Injury).
Óscar Trejo: Out (Muscle Injury).¹⁵
Pathé Ciss: Available. Was suspended for the league but likely to start here to give minutes to the squad.
Rotation: Expect Raúl de Tomás (RDT) or Sergi Camello to start upfront. Dani Cárdenas will likely replace Augusto Batalla in goal.

Real Ávila vs Rayo Vallecano — Head to Head

No Recent Meetings: This is the first competitive meeting between these two sides in recent history.

Real Ávila vs Rayo Vallecano — Predicted Lineups

Real Ávila (4-2-3-1):

GK: Samuel Rodríguez¹⁶
RB: Alpha
CB: Carlos Pascual¹⁷
CB: César Llopis
LB: Andrés Llorián
CM: Adilson
CM: Dani Tena
RW: Runy¹⁸
CAM: Álex Moreno
LW: Adri Carrión¹⁹
ST: Gonzalo Serrano²⁰

Rayo Vallecano (4-2-3-1):

Pérez rotates but keeps quality in attack.

GK: Dani Cárdenas
RB: Iván Balliu
CB: Aridane Hernández
CB: Pelayo Fernández
LB: Pep Chavarría²¹
CDM: Pathé Ciss
CDM: Unai López
RW: Isi Palazón (C)²²
CAM: James Rodríguez (Possibility for minutes to build fitness)
LW: Adri Embarba
ST: Raúl de Tomás

Real Ávila vs Rayo Vallecano — Impact Bench Options

Real Ávila:

Mario Domínguez: A young forward who can provide energy if they are chasing a goal late on.

Rayo Vallecano:

Jorge de Frutos: Rayo’s top scorer this season.²³ If they are struggling to break the deadlock, his pace off the bench is the ultimate “Break Glass” option.
Sergio Camello: Offers a different, more mobile threat than RDT.

Real Ávila vs Rayo Vallecano — Tactical Outlook

Real Ávila:

Playing Style: Counter-Punching. They will likely sit deep in a 4-4-2 or 4-5-1 out of possession, trying to deny space to Rayo’s creative midfielders. When they win the ball, they will look immediately for Runy and Adri Carrión on the wings to exploit space behind Rayo’s full-backs.
Strength: Goalscoring Midfielders. Runy and Serrano have been finding the net regularly.

Rayo Vallecano:

Playing Style: Wing Dominance. Rayo loves to attack down the flanks. With Balliu and Chavarría pushing up, they will bombard the Ávila box with crosses.
Weakness: Set Pieces. They conceded from a corner situation recently (leading to the scramble vs Valencia). Ávila will see corners as their best chance to score.

Real Ávila vs Rayo Vallecano — Key Battles

Matchup	Battle Type	Edge
Runy vs. Pep Chavarría	Pace vs. Positioning: Runy is Ávila’s most in-form attacker. Chavarría loves to attack but can leave gaps behind.	Rayo
Carlos Pascual vs. Raúl de Tomás	David vs. Goliath: Pascual is a solid 4th-tier defender, but RDT has elite La Liga experience. RDT’s movement should be too much.	Rayo
Dani Tena vs. James Rodríguez	The Dream Duel: A Segunda RFEF midfielder marking a World Cup Golden Boot winner. Tena must not give James time to pick a pass.	Rayo

Real Ávila vs Rayo Vallecano — Spotlight Players

Runy (Real Ávila):

The winger is in the form of his life, scoring in consecutive games recently. He is the player most likely to create a moment of magic for the home crowd.

Isi Palazón (Rayo Vallecano):

Fresh from a suspension rest, Isi will be the most talented player on the pitch. His ability to cut inside and shoot from distance is exactly what is needed to break down a packed lower-league defense.

Real Ávila vs Rayo Vallecano — Fan Reactions

Real Ávila Fans:

“Rayo played Monday night… they will be tired! This is our chance to make history.”

“Runy is going to score. I can feel it.”

Rayo Vallecano Fans:

“Please, just a boring 3-0 win. No drama, no extra time.”

“RDT needs a hat-trick to get his confidence back. This is the perfect game for him.”

Real Ávila vs Rayo Vallecano — Match-Defining Factors

The Pitch: The Estadio Adolfo Suárez pitch quality will be a leveller. If it’s heavy or bumpy, Rayo’s passing game will suffer.
Early Goal: If Rayo scores in the first 20 minutes, the belief will drain from the hosts. If Ávila holds out until halftime, the pressure on Rayo will skyrocket.
Rotation Chemistry: Rayo’s XI will likely have never played together before. Lack of understanding could lead to defensive errors.

Real Ávila vs Rayo Vallecano — Prediction

Score Prediction: Real Ávila 1–3 Rayo Vallecano

Betting Insights:

Outcome: Rayo Vallecano to Win (-1 Handicap).
Both Teams to Score: YES (Rayo’s defense is leaky; Ávila have goals in them at home).
Anytime Goalscorer: Raúl de Tomás (He will be desperate to score).

Analysis: Real Ávila have enough attacking threat to score a famous goal, especially given Rayo’s recent defensive wobbles. However, the gap in quality is immense. Even a rotated Rayo side should have too much firepower, with Isi Palazón and RDT likely to make the difference in the second half.

Real Ávila vs Rayo Vallecano — Final Word

This has all the ingredients of a classic cup tie: a passionate home crowd, a confident underdog, and a top-tier side looking slightly vulnerable. Real Ávila will fight for every ball, but Rayo Vallecano’s superior class should eventually shine through to book their place in the Round of 32.

Real Ávila vs Rayo Vallecano — FAQs

When is the Real Ávila vs Rayo Vallecano match?

The match kicks off on Thursday, 04 December 2025, at 18:00 CET.24

Is James Rodríguez playing?

He is available and could feature to gain match fitness, likely as a starter or early sub.

Where can I watch the match in India?

The Copa del Rey is often streamed on FanCode, though specific listings should be checked closer to kickoff.

Call to Action — SportsphereArena Community

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