Our prediction for this Segunda Division match:
All eyes will be on Campo de Futbol de Vallecas when Rayo Vallecano and Leganes go head to head in the local derby in the La Liga 2 playoffs semis, first leg. Los Vallecanos secured a top-six finish despite the shocking loss to Lugo on the last day of the regular season, and they face a difficult task in Thursday’s showdown. Fit-again winger Bebe is widely expected to return to the starting XI.
Leganes, on the other hand, rolled over Zaragoza 5-0 in their last game of the regular season, with the team clinching third position in the standings. Asier Garitano’s troops are high on confidence ahead of the first leg, and we are positive that they will grab something from the match. Former Premier League attacker Borja Baston has overcome his injury, but he is likely to start from the bench.
Highlighted Player (Stole Dimitrievski):
Born in Kumanovo, North Macedonia, Stole Dimitrievski is a 190-cm-tall goalkeeper who plays for Segunda Division side Rayo Vallecano. Dimitrievski started his senior career at Rabotnicki, but he made no more than 18 appearances for the Macedonian outfit in the national championship. In the summer of 2012 he decided to move to Spain, signing a deal with Granada.
The towering shot-stopper made 90 appearances for Granada B, while playing no more than one game for the senior team. Following his spells with Gimnastic, Stole Dimitrievski moved to Rayo Vallecano. The Macedonian goalkeeper made his Rayo debut in La Liga in a 2-2 draw with Villarreal on November 11, 2018, while keeping his first clean sheet in a 1-0 win over Eibar later that month.
His preferred foot is right, and his contract with Rayo Vallecano should expire on June 30, 2024. Speaking of his international career, Dimitrievski made his full debut with the North Macedonia national team on November 12, 2015 in a 4-1 win over Montenegro.
Highlighted Team (Leganes):
Leganes are a Spanish football club that have mostly been playing in lower leagues. Los Pepineros play their home games at Batarque (Madrid) and the capacity of the stadium is just 8,138. Leganes secured their promotion to the Spanish La Liga for the first time ever in 2016 and, no doubt, that is considered the club’s biggest success.
Leganes’ bitterest rivals are fellow capital club Getafe and there have always been fireworks when the two teams take on each other in the South Madrid derby.
The colour of the team’s home kit is white and blue, whilst their away kits are green. The likes of Pierre Webo, Samuel Eto’o, Ivan Zarandona, Jose Chamot, Catanha, Ruben Falcon, Jordi Lardin and Pedro Lago are famous players who were part of the Batarque outfit in the past. Lady Maria Victoria Pavon is the first female president in the history of the club and she has been in charge of the club since 2009.