Thursday evening at 9:00 pm, Rayo Vallecano welcomes Strasbourg, as part of the first leg of the Conference League semi-finals. A team locally considered the best in the competition.
Two teams looking to make history. Thursday evening at 9:00 pm, the Spanish team Rayo Vallecano hosts Strasbourg in the first leg of the Conference League semi-finals. After finishing top of the league phase standings, the Alsacians find themselves in the final four and are preparing to play their first ever European final. A similar situation for the hosts, who are only in their second European campaign, after the one in 2000-2001 in the UEFA Cup.
Rayo Vallecano will be at a disadvantage as they will be missing their Spanish midfielder Alvaro Garcia (33 years old) in this match due to a muscle injury. Garcia has been influential throughout this continental campaign, scoring three goals and providing three assists.
Garcia: “Very tough opponents”
Prior to the match, the Sevillan expressed his thoughts, as reported by UEFA’s official website: “They have been the best team in the competition so far. They finished first in the league phase, and they will be very tough opponents. We know their style of play could give us opportunities to try our luck, so we will try to deliver a wonderful performance in Vallecas and make it difficult for them, because the pitch is smaller, and we will try to get a good result before the return leg.”
He added: “None of us have ever played in a European final. I don’t think anyone in the locker room has been in a European final, so it would be great [to reach one]. It’s not just about playing, but also experiencing everything that happened before, the people who go there. It must be incredible.”
