Espanyol vs Rayo Vallecano preview - Tamudo to respect former club

Rayo Vallecano striker Raul Tamudo insists there is no way that he will celebrate on Sunday if he scores at Cornella-El Prat - the stadium where he made his name with Espanyol.

Tamudo has played a key part in helping Rayo exceed all expectations this season, scoring six goals to help the newly-promoted side within three points of a Europa League position.

The 34-year-old joined Rayo last summer after an unsuccessful spell at Real Sociedad, but the former Spain international is always remembered for his time at Espanyol, where he became the club's record goalscorer in a prolific 14-year spell.

Having made over 400 appearances for Espanyol, after coming through the club's youth ranks, and having captained them for a number of years the veteran is looking forward to what promises to be an emotional return.

"It's a special game for me to go back and play against Espanyol and to be in the Cornella again," Tamudo told a press conference.

"If I score I will not celebrate because of my time there.

"Personally I owe a lot to Espanyol, they gave me the chance to be a professional footballer, to be a top-flight player, I am not going there with a grudge, I am just going to go there and try to give my all, nothing more."

Many had expected Los Franjirrojos to struggle this season - their first in the Primera Division for nine years - but Jose Ramon Sandoval has managed to guide the club to eighth in the table.

A recent winless run of five matches for Espanyol means that Rayo have a good chance of toppling the Catalonian side and Tamudo is confident his team can win to help them move one step closer towards achieving their main goal this term - survival.

"Espanyol have a very good team and to win this match will be difficult," he added.

"But the game comes at a good time for us, we have been in good since the turn of the year and we are on the way up.

"If we win this Sunday we will have one foot and a half in the division. Our objective is to stay in the league and after that we will starting dreaming of something bigger.

"Diego (Costa) is playing well, Michu is spectacular and the truth is that everyone knows who Rayo's players are now."

Costa is available for Sunday's game despite suffering an arm injury in Rayo's win over Racing Santander last week.

Espanyol, who lost 5-0 to Real Madrid last weekend, are likely to be without Thievy Bifouma as he is suffering from Gastroenteritis and Raul Rodrmguez is also unavailable because of a foot injury that he sustained at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Espanyol striker Sergio Garcia thinks the club should not be embarrassed at being hammered by the league leaders last weekend and is confident that the team will bounce back against Rayo.

"The Madrid defeat was not a humiliation," he said.

"Madrid played very well and we weren't at our usual level.

"I hope the defeat will not affect us. It was a blip and we have had to work hard this week for the Rayo game.

"With the support of the fans, we can take all three points this weekend and that's the most important thing for us."