UECL Preview: Strasbourg head to Rayo Vallecano
Two days on from Paris Saint-Germain's Champions League win, another Ligue 1 McDonald's side has a European semifinal on the books -- get the latest as we look at RC Strasbourg's Conference League trip to face Rayo Vallecano.
Emegha to start?
After a stirring comeback win in Ligue 1 McDonald's at the weekend, a 3-2 victory away to FC Lorient that snapped Les Merlus' lengthy unbeaten run at home, the Alsatians are back in European action as they had to Vallecas to take on Rayo Vallecano. After beating German side Mainz 4-0 to overturn a two-goal deficit from the first leg, Racing's confidence will surely be high, but they'll also have to contend with a key pair of absences, as midfielder Valentín Barco (suspension) and right back Guéla Doué (fitness) are both unavailable.
Academy product Abdoul Ouattara, so impressive against Mainz, makes a natural replacement for the former Rennes defender, but Barco has been integral to Racing's strong season, and will be a challenge to replace. Maxi Oyedele probably has the inside track to replace the Argentine, and while he is a somewhat more prosaic presence, he also adds European experience owing to his time with Legia Warsaw in this competition last year.
Gary O'Neil will also have to make a decision in attack. Emanuel Emegha, so influential last year, is fit again, but Julio Enciso excelled as a false nine against Mainz and with three goals and three assists in Europe. If Enciso starts, look for in-form Sebastian Nanasi to play behind him as a number ten, with fit-again Ben Chilwell returning in defence as well.
Speaking pre-match, Enciso averred that his side are more than up for the challenge, despite a frustrating elimination fro the Coupe de France last mid-week, saying, “It’s a unique feeling for all the players and the club to play in a semi-final. We'll give it our all... ...the atmosphere will be a bit like in South America. Well, it's true, we were disappointed after the elimination in front of Nice (in the Coupe de France). We gave it our all, but we lost and it's been forgotten since."
✈️ Traveling squad 🫡#UECL #RVMRCSA pic.twitter.com/0ChrjhqUC4
— Racing Club de Strasbourg Alsace English (@RCSA_English) April 29, 2026
Familiar faces for Rayo
Led by young manager Inigo Perez, Rayo have, like Racing, had a somewhat white-knuckle run to reach the semifinals, having finished fifth in the league phase. Single-goal wins over Turkish side Samunspor and AEK Athens have helped them reach this stage. Like Racing, they are on the fringes of the European places domestically, and also had a dramatic late goal on Sunday, in their case to draw three-all with Real Sociedad.
Los Franjirrojos have several players with experience in Ligue 1 McDonald's, including defenders Luiz Felipe, Florian Lejeune, Nobel Mendy and Iván Balliu. Club captain Oscar Trejo also spent several years with Toulouse, but isn't expected to be in the eleven. With just 33 goals in as many matches domestically, Rayo have been a side who tend to play with width, hewing to a physically aggressive, possession-based style, something that has the potential to test O'Neil's young side.
If they can weather the storm in Madrid, though, they should feel confident of progress in next week's home leg, with La Meinau always a boiling atmosphere.
