Rayo Vallecano and Alavés have confirmed their starting lineups for the LaLiga match at Butarque, giving fans the clearest pre-kickoff picture of how both teams will begin the night.
For Rayo Vallecano, Beñat San José has made four changes from the side that faced Sevilla, with Nteka and Alemao left on the bench. The starting XI is Batalla, Ratiu, Lejeune, Pelayo, Vertrouwd, Unai López, Pathé Ciss, Isi, De Frutos, Fran Pérez and Camello.
That selection keeps a mix of structure and attacking pace in place, with De Frutos, Fran Pérez and Camello among the players likely to carry the final-third responsibility. It also reflects the churn around the squad this week, after market activity that included arrivals such as Kumbulla, Giorgi Tsitaishvili, Nobel Mendy and Beñat San José.
Alavés also names its XI
Alavés responded with Sivera, Tenaglia, Koski, Jonny, Ángel Pérez, Ibañez, Blanco, Mikel Rodríguez, Rebbach, Boyé and Toni Martínez. The visitors arrive with their own settled-looking group, and the shape of that lineup suggests they are aiming to be compact while still having enough presence up front through Boyé and Toni Martínez.
Before kickoff, José Luis Munuera Montero was named as the referee, with Iván Caparrós Hernández assigned as VAR. Those appointments complete the matchday setup for a live LaLiga fixture that has plenty of interest because of the confirmed team selections alone.
The backdrop to the match has also included a dispute after a Madrid club statement about ticket management and the cautelar suspension of the Estadio de Vallecas, adding another layer to an already busy week for Rayo Vallecano. Even so, the key immediate update is straightforward: the lineups are in, and both managers have made their choices for Butarque.
