Real Oviedo 0-0 Rayo Vallecano Player Ratings: Aarón Escandell 8.5/10 Rated as Goalless Draw Sees Red Cards and Penalty Drama

What a chaotic and frankly bizarre match at the Estadio Nuevo Carlos Tartiere. This La Liga encounter between Real Oviedo and Rayo Vallecano ended goalless but the 0-0 scoreline tells absolutely none of the story. From our perspective, this was a game defined by sheer drama, missed opportunities, and moments of madness. We saw two red cards and a penalty that was saved in spectacular fashion.

The entire complexion of the match shifted early in the second half. Ilyas Chaira's reckless challenge earned him a straight red, leaving Real Oviedo with ten men for most of the period. Rayo Vallecano seized the advantage, creating chance after chance. The golden opportunity arrived when they were awarded a penalty. However, Aarón Escandell produced a stunning save to deny Isi Palazón, becoming an instant hero.

Rayo hit the woodwork not once but twice, and will be wondering how they didn't leave with all three points. The late drama wasn't over either as substitute Pathé Ciss received a red card for the visitors, leveling the playing field to ten men apiece in stoppage time. In the end, it was a hard-fought point for the home side, and two massive points were dropped for Rayo. Here are the Sportsdunia's Real Oviedo vs Rayo Vallecano Player Ratings.

Real Oviedo Player Ratings vs Rayo Vallecano

Check out the Real Oviedo player ratings for the Real Oviedo vs Rayo Vallecano fixture.

Goalkeeper

Aarón Escandell - 8.5: An absolutely heroic performance. The penalty save was magnificent and single-handedly earned his team a point. He made several other crucial saves and commanded his area with confidence. From our perspective, he was the undisputed man of the match. What a display.

Defenders

David Costas - 6.5: A steady, if unspectacular, outing for the defender. He was solid enough and made a few important clearances. He got stuck in but didn't dominate his duels. A decent performance under pressure.

Dani Calvo - 7.5: A rock at the back for Oviedo. We noticed his 100% tackle success rate and a massive eight clearances. He was composed on the ball and crucial in repelling wave after wave of Rayo attacks. A very impressive defensive showing.

Nacho Vidal - 6.0: A very busy afternoon for him. He worked tirelessly down the right flank but his end product was lacking. Picked up a deserved yellow card for a clumsy challenge. He had a couple of wild shots from distance that never troubled the keeper.

Javi López - 6.0: Only played the first half before being substituted. He didn't do much wrong and was defensively sound. However, he offered little going forward and was a logical choice to be hooked at the break. A quiet 45 minutes.

Midfielders

Santi Cazorla - 7.0: The veteran was pulling the strings beautifully before the red card. He was unlucky to see his stunning free-kick crash against the crossbar. His passing was crisp and inventive. Substituted after 62 minutes as a tactical necessity.

Federico Viñas - 7.5: A true warrior's performance. He won an incredible 11 duels and was a constant nuisance for the Rayo defence. His relentless pressing and hard work set the tone for his team. He missed a chance but his overall contribution was immense.

Santiago Colombatto - 6.5: A mixed bag. He moved the ball well at times but also lost possession too frequently in dangerous areas. He made an error that led to a shot which was frustrating. He kept battling in the middle of the park.

Leander Dendoncker - 6.5: A quietly efficient game. He kept his passing simple and effective, recycling possession well. He did his defensive duties without fuss before being substituted later in the game. Solid, but you expect a bit more influence.

Ilyas Chaira - 2.0: A moment of madness that nearly cost his team everything. His straight red card was reckless and inexcusable. It put his teammates under enormous pressure for the majority of the second half. A truly game-changing negative contribution.

Forwards

Salomón Rondón - 5.5: Found himself isolated and struggled to get into the game. He battled for the ball but offered very little goal threat. He was caught offside and eventually substituted having made minimal impact on proceedings. A tough day at the office.

Substitutes

Rahim Alhassane - 6.0: Came on at halftime and did a reasonable job defensively.
Haissem Hassan - 6.5: Looked lively and tried to create something on the counter.
Pablo Agudín - 4.5: Unfortunate to concede the penalty almost immediately after coming on.
Alberto Reina - N/A: Not on long enough to rate.

Manager

L. Carrión Delgado - 7.0: His initial game plan was solid. He was forced to adapt after the red card and his tactical changes worked. He organized his team to be resilient and they showed incredible spirit to hold on for the draw.

Rayo Vallecano Player Ratings vs Real Oviedo

Check out the Rayo Vallecano player ratings for the Real Oviedo vs Rayo Vallecano fixture.

Goalkeeper

Augusto Batalla - 7.0: Had a relatively quiet game but was alert when called upon. Made a fantastic save to deny Chaira in the first half. He couldn't do anything about the Cazorla free-kick that hit the bar. A confident display.

Defenders

Andrei Rațiu - 8.0: What stood out to us was his constant attacking threat from right-back. He was arguably Rayo's best player, creating three chances and completing four dribbles. He was a menace all game and defended well too, winning most of his duels.

Josep Chavarría - 7.0: A solid performance on the left flank. He supported the attack well, delivering some dangerous crosses. Defensively, he was sound and won his battles. A very reliable performance from the full-back.

Florian Lejeune - 7.5: A colossal presence at the back. His passing was near-perfect, controlling the game from deep. He was strong in the air and composed in his defense. A real leader for his team and a top-class performance.

Nobel Mendy - 5.5: Seemed a bit overwhelmed at times. He picked up an early yellow card and was rightly substituted after Oviedo went down to ten men. He struggled with the physicality of the opposition and looked off the pace.

Midfielders

Unai López - 7.5: The conductor in midfield. He dictated the play with an astounding 97% pass accuracy. He was unlucky to see his long-range effort hit the woodwork. A class act who controlled the tempo of the entire match.

Óscar Valentín - 6.5: The captain provided a solid screen for his defence. He broke up play effectively and did the dirty work in midfield. He wasn't spectacular on the ball but his defensive contribution was important.

Isi Palazón - 5.0: A game he will want to forget. He had the golden chance to be the hero from the penalty spot and fluffed his lines. That miss completely overshadowed his otherwise lively performance. A huge moment and he failed to deliver.

Álvaro García - 5.0: Incredibly wasteful in front of goal. He missed a clear-cut big chance and skied several other shots. His movement got him into good positions, but his finishing was absolutely dreadful. He could have won the game on his own.

Jorge de Frutos - 6.5: A livewire who won the penalty with his tricky dribbling. He drew several fouls and was a constant nuisance. However, he was also very wasteful in possession, losing the ball ten times. A frustratingly inconsistent performance.

Forwards

Sergio Camello - 5.5: A very quiet game for the striker. He was anonymous for large parts and struggled to make any real impact. He was well-marshalled by the Oviedo defence and substituted after 70 ineffective minutes.

Substitutes

Pathé Ciss - 3.0: Came on and got a needless red card in stoppage time. An utterly brainless contribution.
Alemão - 5.5: Didn't offer much more than the man he replaced.
Fran Pérez - N/A: Not on long enough to rate.
Gerard Gumbau - N/A: Not on long enough to rate.

Manager

I. Pérez Soto - 6.0: His team was handed a massive advantage and failed to capitalize. While they created chances, the lack of clinical finishing and the penalty miss will be a huge source of frustration. He will feel his side should have comfortably won this game.

Sportsdunia's Player of the Match Goes to Aarón Escandell