Rayo Vallecano vs Granada CF - Sandoval ready for "final"

Rayo Vallecano coach Jose Ramon Sandoval believes their Primera Division clash against Granada is as important as the Champions League final for his club.

Rayo approach the final game of the season needing a win to ensure their top-flight survival. Goal difference puts them just above the drop zone but they are level on points with Real Zaragoza who are in the bottom three.

"This game is the only end that we have," Sandoval told www.abc.es. "For us, this is the final of the Champions League.

"We do not have to give up anything and we have to take risks and be ourselves."

With his side's future in the top flight at stake, Sandoval revealed he has been focused on ensuring his players are calm.

"In this game there must be no anxiety whatsoever," he said.

"We made the week as normal as possible for the players to just think of football and the chance to win.

"In order for our team to achieve what we set, we have to get into a rhythm from the start and keep the intensity up to the end."

Rayo defender Mikel Labaka is confident his side can play themselves to safety with a win over Granada at the Campo de Futbol de Vallecas.

"We are looking forward to Sunday's game," Labaka said.

"We're footballers and we have to face any situation.

"I understand that there is some uneasiness but you should know that we were able to win very difficult games to get to be at 40 points.

"We are more than qualified to take the game forward and win, and psychologically we must be strong."

Granada are themselves not safe from the drop and could go into their crucial relegation encounter with up to 10 first-team players missing.

Dani Benitez has been handed a three-month ban for throwing a water bottle at referee Close Gomez after a 2-1 defeat to Real Madrid last weekend, while Moises Hurtado and Guilherme Siqueira were also sent off on the final whistle for their protestations towards Gomez.

Alexandre Geijo is also suspended and Roberto, Fran Rico, Pape Diakhate and Hassan Yebda are all out injured.

Moreover, Carlos Martins and Diego Mainz are both doubtful for a game in which Abel Resino's men must take at least a point to guarantee survival.