Celta Vigo vs Rayo Vallecano preview - Jemez still keen to attack

Posted Saturday, November 09, 2013 by PA

Rayo Vallecano coach Paco Jemez is adamant that the only way for his side to return to winning ways is to maintain their attacking philosophy.

The Madrid side are bottom of the Primera Division table after losing three games on the trot to Real Valladolid, Osasuna and Real Madrid.

They travel to Jemez 's former club Celta Vigo on Saturday and the coach hopes his team can reproduce the best moments from the three defeats.

"We have to keep playing the same way because that's how we're going to win games," he told a press conference.

"If we are capable of playing like we did in the second half against Osasuna or Valladolid or almost the entirety of the game with Real Madrid, then we'll be on our way to winning.

"We'll have our chances even though the points aren't adding up. We can't lose hope, because we have a lot of reasons to believe we can get out of the bottom part of the table."

Rayo face a Celta side buoyed by two wins in their last three games, a 5-0 thumping of Malaga and a 1-0 win over Sevilla.

However, one factor in favour of the visitors is that the Galicians have not won a single game at home all season.

"This game is going to be an authentic acid test of our quality," said coach Luis Enrique.

And he warned his side not to be fooled by the fact Rayo are propping up the table.

"They don't deserve to be in that position, according to the way I view football," said the former Barcelona midfielder.

"Because of the way they play football, and because of what they have brought to the games I have watched them in, I believe they should be higher up in the table."

Enrique added: "Rayo are going to pressure us, they're not going to let us have much of the ball and that's where the first battle of the game will be fought. It'll be much more difficult than people might think.

"For us having the ball is important but it's not an end in itself, it's a means to get something. I would prefer to have the game under control than an end to end match."

Both sides have considerable absentees. In addition to long-term injured Mario Bermejo and Samuel Llorca, Enrique will have to make do without defenders Jon Aurtenexte, Gustavo Cabral and Carlos Bellvis, who are all unavailable due to injury.

Rayo have an even larger injury list, with six players unavailable, the most recent being Adrian Gonzalez, who has been ruled out until the end of the month with a torn calf muscle.