Elche 4-0 Rayo Vallecano Player Ratings: Rodriguez Rated 9.5/10 as Elche Dominates in a 4-0 Victory

The La Liga match kicked off with an early goal from Hector Fort, who unfortunately had his night cut short by injury. But the momentum never wavered. Alvaro Rodriguez was simply sensational. He was the architect of everything good, scoring one and assisting two in a man of the match display that will be talked about for some time. German Valera alongside Neto also got on the scoresheet, capping off a brilliant team move.

For the Spanish side Rayo Vallecano, it was a deeply frustrating evening. They had their moments and forced some excellent saves from Inaki Pena, but they lacked the cutting edge. Their defensive structure crumbled in the second half, leaving them exposed to Elche's devastating pace. This match will serve as a harsh lesson for the visitors.

Here are Elche Vs Rayo Vallecano Player Ratings

Elche Player Ratings vs Rayo Vallecano

Here are Elche Player Ratings vs Rayo Vallecano

Goalkeeper

Iñaki Peña - 8.5/10: What stood out to us was his composure. He made six saves, some of which were genuinely top-class. The double save in the first half kept his team's fragile lead intact. He commanded his box and his distribution was solid, recovering the ball 11 times. A clean sheet was the least he deserved for such a commanding performance. He was a wall.

Defenders

Pedro Bigas - 8.0/10: A captain's performance. He was solid at the back, making crucial clearances and interceptions. But what impressed us was his contribution going forward. He provided the assist for the second goal with a brilliant long pass. His creation of three big chances shows a defender with incredible vision. A complete performance.

John Donald - 7.0/10: A quiet but very effective game from the defender. He made five clearances and was a steady presence alongside Bigas. He didn't do anything flashy, but he didn't need to. We noticed he was always in the right position to snuff out danger. A solid, no-nonsense display that contributed heavily to the clean sheet.

David Affengruber - 6.5/10: A decent outing, though not as impactful as his defensive partners. He made three important clearances. However, he was caught offside once and had an error that led to a shot. From our perspective, he looked a little less comfortable than the others but still played his part in a strong defensive unit.

Midfielders

Marc Aguado - 7.0/10: The silent engine in midfield. He was tidy in possession and worked hard off the ball. His three duel wins and a couple of tackles helped break up Rayo's rhythm. He kept things simple and effective, allowing the more creative players ahead of him to shine. An underrated but important role.

Germán Valera - 8.0/10: He capped off a fine performance with a well-taken goal. His finish was cool and composed, slotting home after a blistering counter-attack. He worked tirelessly on the flank, drawing three fouls and always offering an outlet. It felt like his energy was infectious throughout the team.

Aleix Febas - 7.5/10: A bundle of energy in the middle. We were impressed by his dribbling, successfully completing three runs to drive his team forward. He won a remarkable seven duels, showing his combative side. His pass accuracy of 95% highlights his quality on the ball. He was a real thorn in Rayo's side.

Álvaro Núñez - 7.5/10: An outstanding creative force from the right. He created four chances and delivered five key passes. His crossing was a constant threat, with four accurate deliveries into dangerous areas. While he didn't get an assist, his service was exceptional all night. He was a key part of Elche's attacking machine.

Héctor Fort - 7.0/10: What a bittersweet night for the young man. He scored the opening goal with a brilliant finish, showing great instinct. He looked incredibly sharp in his 12 minutes on the pitch. It was a real shame his game was ended by an injury. A massive impact in a short space of time.

Forwards

Rafa Mir - 6.5/10: A frustrating night for the striker. He got into good positions but his finishing let him down, missing a big chance. He had six shots in total but couldn't find the net. Despite this, his work rate was good and he occupied the defenders, creating space for others. Not his day in front of goal.

Álvaro Rodríguez - 9.5/10: Simply unstoppable. From our perspective, this was one of the best individual performances of the season. A goal and two assists tell only part of the story. He was a menace with his movement, winning 11 duels and taking seven shots. Everything flowed through him. A truly dominant, highest-rated player performance. Man of the Match, without a doubt.

Substitutes

Martim Neto - 6.5/10: Came on for the injured Fort and did a tidy job. He provided the assist for one of Rafa Mir's shots and kept the midfield ticking over.

Manager

E. Sarabia Armesto - 9.0/10: His game plan was executed to perfection. He set his team up to be defensively solid and devastating on the counter. The substitutions were managed well, and he clearly had his players fired up for the occasion. A tactical masterclass from the Elche boss.

Rayo Vallecano Player Ratings vs Elche

Here are the Rayo Vallecano Player Ratings vs Elche

Goalkeeper

Augusto Batalla - 5.5/10: It's tough for a keeper when your defense crumbles. He conceded three goals but couldn't do much about any of them. He made a couple of saves, including a good one to deny Rodríguez in the first half. From our perspective, he was let down by those in front of him. A difficult night.

Defenders

Pep Chavarría - 5.0/10: He struggled to contain Elche's right-sided attacks. He lost possession 12 times and was dribbled past once. While he made a couple of interceptions, it wasn't enough. He looked overwhelmed at times by the pace of the game. A tough evening for the fullback.

Florian Lejeune - 5.5/10: He was busy, making three blocked shots and recovering the ball eight times. However, he was part of a defense that conceded three goals and looked shaky. He lost four duels and his long-ball distribution was poor. He tried hard but was ultimately part of a failing unit.

Nobel Mendy - 4.5/10: A really poor performance. He picked up a needless yellow card and looked off the pace. He was dribbled past and committed two fouls. What stood out to us was his lack of composure under pressure. He seemed to struggle with the intensity of Elche's forwards.

Iván Balliu - 5.0/10: His night was cut short by injury after just 33 minutes. In that time, he missed a big chance that could have changed the game. It's hard to give a full rating, but he was part of a defense that was already looking vulnerable. A frustrating outing for him.

Midfielders

Isi Palazón - 6.0/10: One of Rayo's few bright sparks in attack. He had a good shot on target that forced a great save from Peña. He tried to make things happen and drew three fouls. However, he also lost possession 12 times and was dispossessed on three occasions. A mixed bag, but at least he showed some fight.

Unai López - 5.5/10: He created four chances, which is impressive on paper. But from our view, his overall influence was limited. He picked up a yellow card and his two fouls disrupted his team's momentum. He had a shot off target and couldn't impose himself on the game as he would have liked.

Álvaro García - 6.0/10: He had two shots on target and looked dangerous in spells. His effort that forced a great save from Peña was one of Rayo's best moments. However, he struggled to consistently beat his man and was caught offside once. He showed glimpses but lacked the final product.

Alfonso Espino - 4.0/10: A disastrous performance. His error leading to a goal was a back-breaking moment. He won a lot of duels but that single mistake was catastrophic. He lost possession 10 times and looked completely shaken. From our perspective, he was the worst performer on the pitch.

Óscar Valentín - 6.5/10: Rayo's captain tried to lead by example before being subbed. He had two shots on target and was combative in midfield, winning three duels. He was one of the few Rayo players who seemed up for the fight. His substitution at 60 minutes felt a bit strange given his efforts.

Forwards

Sergio Camello - 5.5/10: A quiet game for the striker. He only managed one shot on target and was caught offside. He worked hard and drew two fouls, but he was well-marshalled by the Elche defense. He struggled to find space or make any real impact on the game. A frustrating night for him.

Substitutes

Fran Pérez - 5.0/10: Came on for the injured Balliu but couldn't change the tide. He was largely anonymous.

Pedro Díaz - 5.5/10: Replaced Valentín and had one shot blocked, but the game was already slipping away.

Jozhua Vertrouwd - 5.0/10: Had little time to make any sort of impact on the game.

Manager

I. Pérez Soto - 4.0/10: His team looked defensively chaotic and lacked a clear plan to break down Elche. The counter-attacks repeatedly cut them open. The decision to take off Óscar Valentín, one of his better players, was questionable. A day where his tactics were completely outdone.

Sportsdunia's player of the match is Rodriguez