Rayo Vallecano vs AEK Athens - Conference League Quarter-Final Preview Rayo Vallecano will host AEK Athens in the first leg of their Conference League quarter-final tie on Thursday, marking the Spanish side’s first European encounter against Greek opposition since their 2000-01 Europa League campaign. The winner of the tie will face either Mainz 05 or Strasbourg in the semi-finals, with both teams aiming to advance to the final stages of the competition for the first time in their histories. Rayo Vallecano, making their debut in the Conference League, have reached the quarter-finals after a historic run through the tournament. The club, which last competed in European competitions in the 2000-01 Europa League, fell to a 4-2 defeat against Alaves in that campaign. This year, they have progressed past the last-16 stage with a 3-2 aggregate victory over Samsunspor, overcoming a 1-0 home defeat in the second leg. Rayo’s journey to the quarter-finals includes a 3-1 away win in the first leg of their last-16 tie, securing their place in the knockout phase. The Spanish side enters the match on the back of a 1-0 La Liga victory over Elche, which lifted them to 13th place in the league table and six points clear of the relegation zone. Manager Inigo Perez’s team will look to extend their recent form with back-to-back home wins, a feat they have not achieved since October and November 2025, when they claimed three consecutive victories at Vallecas. That stretch included two Conference League wins over Shkendija and Lech Poznan. AEK Athens, meanwhile, have reached the quarter-finals after a strong performance in the league phase, securing a top-eight finish. The Greek giants advanced from the last-16 stage with a 4-2 aggregate win over Slovenian side Celje, despite conceding two first-half goals in the home leg.#mainz_05 #conference_league #rayo_vallecano #strasbourg #aek_athens
