On the face of it, confidence in both camps should be relatively low in this Friday night La Liga clash between Huesca and Rayo Vallecano.
The visiting side have lost both their opening La Liga fixtures and prop up the early season table, while Huesca come into their first home game of the new term on the back of conceding eight goals to Barcelona before the international break.
That may not tell the full story however and, at odds of 2.20, the home side are just about worthy favourites to get the win here.
Rayo Vallecano will have to shore up their defence if they are to earn a point, with the draw 3.65, and the away team are not appealing at 3.40 to take home maximum points.
Leo Franco’s side have scored twice in all three away games, no mean feat, even allowing for that eight-goal mauling at the Camp Nou.
Offer them four points from three games, in the circumstances, and they’d have been more than content, having finished one point ahead of tonight’s opponents in gaining promotion to La Liga last season.
They led that title race for a whopping 17-week spell last season, before Rayo gained the upper hand. Huesca wrestled back control but were again forced to settle for second spot in the final weeks of the season.
The home team prevailed in this fixture last season in the second tier, Rayo 3-0 and Huesca 2-1, and a similar outcome looks likely now.
Huesca made a fine start to life in La Liga, with forward Alex Gallar scoring two first-half goals as they won away at Eibar on day one.
Their resolve was tested on matchday two but they had some impressive ripostes having conceded two goals early in the second half at Athletic Bilbao. A lesser side might have crumbled in that situation but Huesca stormed back – Jorge Miramon and Ezequiel Avila getting the strikes that yielded a valuable point.
An 8-2 outcome in the Camp Nou meanwhile, doesn’t exactly do them justice.
Juan Camilo Hernandez incredibly put them in front after three minutes and, for the opening half, they engaged Barca in an absorbing game.
Lionel Messi levelled before Jorge Pulido put through his own net and Luis Suarez made it 3-1. Again, Huesca showed their defiance and Gallar ensured they were just a goal behind at the interval. The champions pulled away in the second half and heads dropped, but it was a performance to take heart from in the most intimidating arena.
Rayo’s start was less impressive. They were dead and buried trailing 0-3 by half-time in their opener against Sevilla, only netting a late consolation via Adrian Embarba in a 4-1 defeat.
Antoine Griezmann scored the only goal as they went down 1-0 to Atletico Madrid in their second game, and they have played one less game than their hosts here.
They showed enough threat in that game against a stubborn Atletico side, with 13 attempts on goal, to suggest they will cause problems for Huesca.
Closely matched last season, this is a game both teams will feel they can get something out of. With a passionate home support behind them – and they’ve been forced to wait for this first home league game – Huesca are fancied to edge an entertaining affair.
Huesca are a worthy shout to win, with both teams to score, at 3.60 while a 3-2 home victory at odds of 26.50 is worth a small investment.
