The UEFA Conference League final has arrived as Crystal Palace and Rayo Vallecano will clash in Leipzig, Germany for the silverware.
Crystal Palace disposed of Shakhtar Donetsk in the semi-final to advance, while Rayo Vallecano took care of business against Strasbourg.
Crystal Palace are -110 favorites on the moneyline, while a draw is available at +250. Fancy a Rayo Vallecano win? They are +320 on the moneyline on DraftKings Sportsbook.
In terms of odds to win the cup, Crystal Palace are listed at -210 while Rayo Vallecano are +160.
Crystal Palace vs. Rayo Vallecano Prediction, Pick
Crystal Palace have a chance to get another trophy under their belt, this time a European one. Last season, they lifted the FA Cup and Community Shield. Winning a third trophy in two seasons would be an extraordinary achievement for the Eagles. The same can’t be said for Rayo Vallecano. The club has never won a major trophy in their history, so it’s safe to say this game will be the biggest game in the history of the club, and ultimately I think they will win the trophy.
Rayo finished fifth in the League Phase of the Conference League, winning four of their six games, drawing one and losing one. In the Round of 16, they scraped by Samsunspor 3-2 on aggregate. They had to work for it again in the quarter-finals, narrowly beating AEK Athens 4-3 over the two legs. Things were slightly more comfortable in the semi-finals, beating Strasbourg 1-0 in both legs.
Crystal Palace had a more difficult run, finishing 10th in the League Phase. They won three of their six games, drawing one and losing two. That caused them to have to enter the playoff, where they took down Bosnian side Zrinjski 3-1 on aggregate. They needed extra-time in the Round of 16 to beat AEK Larnaca 2-1 on aggregate. In the quarter-finals they took down Fiorentina 4-2 on aggregate. Then, they had a breeze against Shakhtar Donetsk in the semi-finals, beating them 5-2 over the two legs.
In terms of domestic league position, Crystal Palace finished 15th in the Premier League, while Rayo Vallecano ended in eighth position in La Liga. The Spanish side comes into this final in good form, as they are undefeated in nine straight games in all competitions. The same can’t be said for the Eagles, who failed to win each of their final seven games in the Premier League.
Between their performances in the tournament so far, recent form and domestic record this season, I think Rayo Vallecano have a great chance to win this final, and I’m backing them to do just that.
