How to watch today's Rayo Vallecano vs Espanyol LaLiga game: Live stream, TV channel, and start time

LaLiga - Game Week 33

23 Apr 2026 - 14:00

Campo de Futbol de Vallecas

Today's game between Rayo Vallecano and Espanyol will kick-off at Apr 23, 2026, 2:00 PM.

The TV channel and live stream options for Rayo Vallecano vs Espanyol are listed below. Supporters in the United States can watch the match live on ESPN Select.

If you are travelling abroad and want to access your usual streaming service, using a VPN may allow you to watch from your home country. Make sure to check the terms and conditions of your provider before doing so.

Rayo Vallecano host Espanyol at Campo de Futbol de Vallecas in a LaLiga fixture that carries genuine weight for both sides of Madrid and Catalonia. With the season entering its final stretch, the table is tight enough that no team in the lower half can afford to drop points carelessly.

Rayo arrive at this game under notable pressure. Their domestic form has faltered, and back-to-back league defeats to Mallorca and Barcelona have dented any confidence built from their Conference League campaign. The Vallecas side are balancing a demanding schedule with continental football still live, and that dual commitment is starting to show.

There is a European subplot worth noting here. Rayo are still active in the UEFA Conference League, with a semi-final first leg against Strasbourg scheduled for late April. That context matters when reading their squad management and the intensity with which they approach this league assignment.

Espanyol come into this fixture having picked up just one win in their last five matches. A heavy 4-1 defeat at Barcelona was their most damaging recent result, though they did show some defensive resilience in a goalless draw with Real Betis. They sit 12th in LaLiga, four places above Rayo, and will see this as a chance to put distance between themselves and the teams below.

For Rayo, sitting 16th, the arithmetic is uncomfortable. A defeat here would increase the gap to safety and sharpen the tension around their remaining fixtures. This is a game they genuinely need.

Read on for everything you need to know about where to watch Rayo Vallecano vs Espanyol, including TV channel details, live stream options, and kick-off time.

How to watch Rayo Vallecano vs Espanyol with VPN

If you are travelling abroad or just want to access your usual streaming services from a different part of the world, you may run into geo-restrictions. This is where a Virtual Private Network (VPN) comes in handy.

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A VPN, such as ExpressVPN, allows you to establish a secure, encrypted connection online. By virtually changing your location to a country where the game is being broadcast, you can bypass blackout restrictions and watch your favourite team live. A step-by-step guide is described later in this article, or you can also check out our guide to the best VPNs for streaming sports.

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Team news & squads

Rayo Vallecano vs Espanyol lineups

4-2-3-1

Rayo Vallecano

RAY

Formation

Espanyol

ESP

4-4-2

D. CardenasP. CissJ. VertrouwdA. RatiuP. ChavarriaJ. de FrutosA. EspinoO. ValentinP. DiazI. PalazonA. ZurawskiM. DmitrovicL. CabreraC. RomeroO. El HilaliF. CaleroT. DolanE. ExpositoP. LozanoP. MillaK. GarciaR. Fernandez

Espanyol

ESP

4-2-3-1

RAYESP

Starting XI

• 1

  D. Cardenas

  8.3
  13

  M. Dmitrovic

  7.0
• 6

  P. Ciss

  7.8
  6

  CL. Cabrera

  6.0
• 33

  J. Vertrouwd

  A. Mumin 81'

  6.8
  22

  C. Romero

  6.5
• 2

  A. Ratiu

  7.7
  23

  O. El Hilali

  6.4
• 3

  P. Chavarria

  7.5
  5

  F. Calero

  C. Riedel 78'

  6.8
• 19

  J. de Frutos

  7.2
  24

  T. Dolan

  C. Ngonge 78'

  6.5
• 22

  A. Espino

  I. Akhomach 58'

  6.7
  8

  E. Exposito

  6.3
• 23

  CO. Valentin

  U. Lopez 76'

  6.2
  10

  P. Lozano

  C. Pickel 46'

  5.8
• 4

  P. Diaz

  S. Camello 81'

  6.5
  11

  P. Milla

  M. Rubio 90'

  6.1
• 7

  I. Palazon

  7.2
  19

  K. Garcia

  6.0
• 9

  A. Zurawski

  G. Gumbau 76'

  6.5
  9

  R. Fernandez

  R. Terrats 67'

  6.5

Substitutes

• 13

  A. Batalla
  14

  R. Terrats

  R. Fernandez 67'

  5.7
• 14

  C. Martin
  16

  C. Ngonge

  T. Dolan 78'

  5.5
• 10

  S. Camello

  P. Diaz 81'

  7.2
  15

  M. Rubio

  P. Milla 90'

  6.0
• 16

  A. Mumin

  J. Vertrouwd 81'

  6.3
  18

  C. Pickel

  P. Lozano 46'

  5.8
• 15

  G. Gumbau

  A. Zurawski 76'

  6.3
  1

  A. Fortuno
• 12

  I. Akhomach

  A. Espino 58'

  6.8
  12

  J. Salinas
• 21

  F. Perez
  2

  R. Sanchez
• 17

  U. Lopez

  O. Valentin 76'

  6.5
  17

  J. Carreras
• 20

  I. Balliu
  38

  C. Riedel

  F. Calero 78'

  5.8
• 8

  O. Trejo
  20

  A. Roca
• 30

  G. Juanpe
  26

  M. Londono
• 32

  L. Castell

Manager

• I. Perez

• M. Gonzalez

Rayo Vallecano will be without L. Felipe through injury, while F. Lejeune and N. Mendy are both unavailable due to suspension. Should the projected XI hold, A. Batalla starts in goal, with a back line including P. Ciss, J. Vertrouwd, A. Ratiu, and P. Chavarria. I. Akhomach and J. de Frutos are named in attack.

Espanyol are missing J. Puado through injury, and U. Gonzalez de Zarate serves a suspension. M. Dmitrovic is set to start in goal behind a defence that includes L. Cabrera, C. Romero, O. El Hilali, and C. Riedel, with E. Exposito and C. Pickel operating through the middle. Team news will be updated closer to kick-off if further changes emerge.

RAYESP

Injuries and Suspensions

• 5
  L. Felipe
• 24
  F. Lejeune
• 32
  N. Mendy

• 7
  J. Puado
• 4
  U. Gonzalez de Zarate

Form

RAY - Form

AllHome

L1-0

W1-0

W3-0

L3-0

L3-1

Goal Scored (Conceded)

5/7

Games over 2.5 goals

3/5

Both teams scored

1/5

ESP - Form

AllAway

D1-1

L2-1

L1-2

D0-0

L4-1

Goal Scored (Conceded)

4/9

Games over 2.5 goals

3/5

Both teams scored

4/5

Rayo Vallecano have taken two wins and suffered three defeats across their last five matches, scoring five goals and conceding seven. Their most recent outing ended in a 3-1 loss to AEK Athens in the Conference League, following a 3-0 league defeat to Mallorca. A 3-0 home win over AEK Athens earlier in April showed they can perform, but consistency in LaLiga has been difficult to find.

Espanyol's last five reads one draw, one draw, and three defeats, with just two goals scored and five conceded. They were beaten 4-1 by Barcelona in their most recent league outing, though a goalless draw at Real Betis before that showed a side capable of keeping things tight. Espanyol have not won any of their last five matches across all competitions.

Head-to-Head Record

Head to Head

Draw

1

0

4

07 Dec

LaLiga

Espanyol

ESP

1

Rayo Vallecano

RAY

0

FT

04 Apr

LaLiga

Rayo Vallecano

RAY

0

Espanyol

ESP

4

FT

31 Aug

LaLiga

Espanyol

ESP

2

Rayo Vallecano

RAY

1

FT

21 May

LaLiga

Rayo Vallecano

RAY

1

Espanyol

ESP

2

FT

19 Aug

LaLiga

Espanyol

ESP

0

Rayo Vallecano

RAY

2

FT

4Goals Scored9

Games over 2.5 goals3/5

Both teams scored2/5

The most recent meeting between these sides ended 1-0 to Espanyol at home in December 2025. Before that, Rayo inflicted a heavy 4-0 defeat on Espanyol at Vallecas in April 2025, which stands as the most one-sided result across the last five encounters. Across those five LaLiga meetings, Espanyol hold three wins to Rayo's one, with one match level, and the aggregate scoreline favours the Catalan side.

Standings

Form

#		P	W	D	L	F	A	+/-	PTS	Form
1	BarcelonaBAR	7	7	0	0	31	7	+24	21	W W W W W
2	Atletico MadridATM	7	5	1	1	16	7	+9	16	W W W L W
3	Real BetisBET	7	5	1	1	9	7	+2	16	D W W W L
4	Real MadridRMA	7	5	0	2	18	8	+10	15	L W W L W
5	SevillaSEV	7	4	1	2	10	9	+1	13	L W W D L
6	Deportivo AlavesALA	7	3	2	2	11	6	+5	11	D L L W W
7	Deportivo de A CorunaCOR	7	2	4	1	10	8	+2	10	D L D W W
8	Real SociedadRSO	7	3	1	3	9	13	-4	10	W L W D W
9	VillarrealVIL	7	2	2	3	13	12	+1	8	W W L L L
10	Athletic BilbaoATH	6	2	2	2	7	6	+1	8	D D W W L
11	GetafeGET	7	2	2	3	4	7	-3	8	W L D D L
12	Rayo VallecanoRAY	7	2	2	3	11	16	-5	8	D W L W L
13	OsasunaOSA	7	2	2	3	6	13	-7	8	D L L L W
14	Celta VigoCEL	7	1	4	2	8	6	+2	7	W D D D L
15	EspanyolESP	7	2	1	4	10	10	0	7	L L W D L
16	Racing SantanderSAN	7	2	1	4	11	21	-10	7	L L W L W
17	LevanteLEV	6	1	2	3	8	12	-4	5	L L D W D
18	ElcheELC	7	1	2	4	11	17	-6	5	W L D L L
19	ValenciaVAL	7	1	1	5	4	13	-9	4	L W L L L
20	MalagaMAL	7	0	3	4	3	12	-9	3	L L D D L

Champions League

UEFA Europa League

Europa Conference League Qualification

Relegation

In LaLiga, Rayo Vallecano sit 16th while Espanyol are placed 12th, meaning the visitors come into this match with a four-place cushion over their hosts in the table.

Step-by-step VPN guide to watch Rayo Vallecano vs Espanyol today

NordVPN

1. Download & Install: Sign up to ExpressVPN or another reputable VPN service (check out GOAL's guide here) and download the app on your device.
2. Connect to a Server: Open the app and select a server location where the match is being shown (e.g. if you are in the UK but want to watch a US stream, connect to a US server).
3. Clear Cache: Sometimes your browser holds onto your old location. Clear your cookies or refresh your browser to ensure the change takes effect.
4. Start Streaming: Go to your broadcaster's website and app and enjoy the game.

How to watch on the Big Screen

Watching on your phone or laptop is fine, but live sports belongs on the big screen. Here is how to get the VPN working on your TV:

• Smart TVs & Fire Stick: Most Android-based TVs and devices like the Amazon Fire TV Stick or Google Chromecast with Google TV have native VPN apps. Simply search for your VPN provider in the app store on your TV, log in, and connect just like you would on your phone.
• Apple TV, Roku & Consoles: These devices often don't support direct VPN apps. The easiest workaround is to use Smart DNS (usually found in your VPN account settings) or Mirror/Cast the stream from your VPN-connected phone or laptop to your TV.

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