Rayo Vallecano and Celta de Vigo faced a lopsided duel, with the Madrid side creating many clear chances while Vicente Guaita stood firm to deny them. The Vigo goalkeeper played a pivotal role in keeping the scoreline level as Celta navigated a fragile spell and remained vulnerable to a potential goal from the home side.
The match began with a solemn show of respect from Rayo Vallecano fans. Antonio Castilla, the president of the Peñas Federation, had died the day before and was widely cherished for his social activism and protest commitments in the neighborhood.
The banners carried a message of gratitude: grateful for Antonio’s tireless fight, with supporters vowing to keep singing in his honor. Photographs in the stands drew warm applause as a minute of silence was observed.
To claim victory, Rayo began with aggressive pressing and smart positioning, seeking to control the game from the outset. The two best chances of the first half belonged to Raul de Tomas, who returned to league action as a substitute after three matches without playing. At minute 27, de Tomas delivered a cross into the box that was cleared by Guaita, who again produced a superb header save to deny the Madrid forward just before the interval.
Celta appeared unsettled on the field and offered few attacking ideas. Iago Aspas, replaced by Greek forward Anastasios Douvikas, failed to convert a late-half chance and could not capitalize on a rare moment of danger.
The Galicia side showed defensive resilience, though their recent slump was evident. They entered a difficult stretch with one win in fifteen games, and a lack of fluidity in midfield allowed Rayo to control the tempo with many forward runs. Luca de la Torre and Renato Tapia struggled to disrupt the home side’s dominance and organize the visiting team from behind the midfield line.
After the break, Rayo pressed with renewed energy, forcing Guaita into another couple of difficult saves. Isi Palazon tested the keeper with a precise strike, and soon Raul de Tomas set up a second attempt that was deflected toward the post by Álvaro Garcia, who nearly redirected the ball into the net for a decisive counterattack.
Celta did not pose a serious threat in the second half, with their best moment arriving in the 82nd minute. Kevin Vazquez fired from distance; the ball slipped through the grasp of the opposing goalkeeper Dmitrievsky and moved perilously close to the goal line before the action settled at the touchline.
As the clock wound down, Rayo intensified their pursuit of a winner, while the visitors struggled to respond. The home team pushed forward with urgency and demanded more from their attack; danger remained high until the final whistle, as Rayo pushed the pace and tested Guaita repeatedly, hoping to break through a stubborn defense.
Vicente Guaita delivered another standout performance, executing a dramatic save that preserved his team’s hope of exploiting the late-game pressure. The highlight reel included a remarkable reaction stop that drew comparisons to a vault from the club’s storied history.
In the aftermath, Rayo climbed to tenth in the league standings with twenty points, while Celta de Vigo remained near the bottom, still fighting to climb away from the relegation zone. The result reflected a one-sided approach by Rayo and a resilient, if limited, showing by the visitors as they battled to reverse their recent form and regain momentum in the campaign.