Three familiar foes back in La Liga

Three familiar foes back in La Liga

Espanyol, Mallorca and Rayo Vallecano are the three teams that have been promoted - all of which are well-known top flight campaigners

After Rayo Vallecano beat Girona in the promotion play-off, we now know the names of the three new teams that will be playing in La Liga next season. Although Rayo are hardly a ‘new’ team, and neither are the other promoted sides, Espanyol and Mallorca, as they have all been regular top flight campaigners over the years.

Eibar, Huesca and Valladolid are the three teams that have dropped into the Second Division

Espanyol

Total games: 172
Barça’s record: W 100, D 38, L 34; Goals F 332, A 178

Most recent meeting: 2019/20 (Camp Nou), Barça 1 Espanyol 0

Dating back to 1900, the Barcelona derby is the oldest fixture in Spanish football. Espanyol were founder members of La Liga in 1929 and have only ever been relegated five times, and every time have managed to come straight back up the following year.

Mallorca

Total games: 58
Barça’s record: W 35, D 10, L 13; Goals F 121, A 62

Most recent meeting: 2019/20 (San Moix), Mallorca 0 Barça 4

A 15-year spell in the first division ended for the biggest club in the Balearic Islands in 2013, and by 2017 they had dropped as low as the third tier. Two years later, they were back in la Liga and although they were immediately relegated, like Espanyol they have managed to bounce straight back up.

Rayo Vallecano

Total games: 36
Barça’s record: W 24, D 8, L 4; Goals F 114, A 32

Most recent Liga meeting: 2018/19 (Camp Nou), Barça 3 Rayo Vallecano 1
Most recent Copa del Rey meeting: 2020/21 (Vallecas), Rayo Vallecano 1 Barça 2

From the Vallecas district of Madrid, Rayo are the classic ‘elevator team’ and this will be their eighth stint in the first division, just two years after they were relegated. But Barça have met the team with the famous red stripe since then, as they played in the Copa del Rey earlier this year.

 

Força Barça
Força Barça

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