Real Sociedad vs Rayo Vallecano Prediction 16.01.2025 | Copa del Rey

• Competition: Spain - Copa del Rey
• Date: Thursday, 16th, January 2025
• Kickoff: 18:30 UK / 19.30 CEST
• Venue: Reale Arena (San Sebastian)

With a spot in the Copa del Rey quarterfinals on the line, Real Sociedad and Rayo Vallecano will face off at Reale Arena on Thursday evening.

The Basque club made a perfect start to the new calendar year, claiming two wins out of two, including a 2-0 thrashing of third-tier outfit Ponferradina on January 5, which booked them a spot among the top 16 in the Copa del Rey for the seventh consecutive season. In fact, Real Sociedad have reached the quarterfinals at the very least in each of the last three cup editions, including last year, where they narrowly missed out on a final, losing to Mallorca on penalties, and they will be eager to make another strong push for the title this season.

In line with their Thursday hosts, Rayo Vallecano have also enjoyed a stellar start to 2025 with a max record from their first two matches, and one of those victories came against Racing Club Ferrol, whom they defeated 3-1 with ease to secure a spot in the Copa del Rey round of 16. Unlike the Basques, the club from the outskirts of Madrid has failed to impress in the cup scene since their semi-final appearance in the 2021-22 season, as reaching the round of 16 was their best achievement in the last two editions, and they will be eager to improve on that in this campaign.

Real Sociedad vs Rayo Vallecano Betting Tips: X2 (DOUBLE CHANCE)

Although they have been performing below expectations this season, Real Sociedad are regarded as the favorites, but given it's a one-off match, we foresee a tightly contested game that could be decided in extra time or even penalties. Playing at the Reale Arena will be crucial for the Basque club, who have demonstrated outstanding form recently on their home turf, as they remain unbeaten in their last six home matches and keeping a clean sheet in every one of them. That said, Alguacil's team will be rigorously tested by Rayo Vallecano, who have transformed into a tough nut to crack recently, staying unbeaten in their last seven games in all competitions, with notable 1-1 draws against Real Madrid, Betis, and Villarreal. It's clear that neither of these teams will want to ruin their impressive starts to 2025, so both are expected to adopt a solid defensive approach, which could lead to a subdued contest where Rayo Vallecano manages to stay unbeaten at least through regular time.