La Liga leaders Barcelona will be looking to extend their unbeaten top-flight run to eight matches when they travel to the Estadio de Vallecano to face Rayo Vallecano on Wednesday night.
The visitors, meanwhile, are seeking to return to winning ways as they bid to stay in the mix to secure a place in Europe for next season.
After ending an eight-game winless run with a 2-1 home victory over Osasuna, Rayo Vallecano suffered their 10th La Liga defeat of the season at the hands of Real Sociedad last weekend.
Barcelona ended a three-game losing run without scoring in all competitions when they secured a slender 1-0 home victory over Atletico Madrid last weekend.
Barca currently sit 11 points clear of reigning champions Real Madrid in second place and they are guaranteed to lift the La Liga title if they come out on top in five of their final eight games of the season.
Barcelona’s chances of success will be boosted if Robert Lewandowski can find his scoring boots; the Polish striker has found the net just twice in his last eight games across all competitions, drawing a blank in each of his last four outings.
There has been little to separate the two teams in recent meetings, with Rayo Vallecano coming away as the happier side in each of the last three encounters, and they will be confident of causing another upset on Wednesday in front of their home supporters.
Credit: sportsmole.co.uk
