Girona 1-3 Rayo Vallecano Highlights, La Liga 2025-26: Gazzaniga Horror Show Helps Rayo Seal Opening-Day Win

Hello and welcome to all the football fans tuning in to the start of our live coverage of La Liga’s opening match between Girona and Rayo Vallecano. The action in Girona kicks off at 10:30 PM IST, so stay tuned for pre-match updates and lineups as they are released.

Paulo Gazzaniga (gk); Daley Blind, Ladislav Krejci, David Lopez, Arnau Martinez; Yangel Herrera, Jhon Solis; Joel Roca, Yaser Asprilla, Viktor Tsigankov; Bojan Miovski

Augusto Batalla (gk); Pep Chavarria, Luiz Felipe, Florian Lejeune, Andrei Ratiu; Unai Lopez, Pathe Ciss; Alvaro Garcia, Pedro Diaz, Isi Palazon; Jorge de Frutos

You can watch all the La Liga 2025-26 matches, including the Girona vs Rayo Vallecano match, on the FanCode app and website in India, with a subscription.

You can also follow the live scores and updates from Girona vs Rayo Vallecano right here on Outlook India.

Girona: ⚫D 🔴L 🟢W 🟢W 🔴L

Rayo Vallecano: 🟢W ⚫D ⚫D 🔴L 🟢W

As per Google, the win probabilities are:

• Girona: 40%

• Draw: 30%

• Rayo Vallecano: 30%

After a minute's silence for the passing of Cristian Stuani's father, the visitors get the match underway. La Liga 2025-26 is on!

A physical start to the match, with Andrei Ratiu lucky to avoid a yellow card after a harsh tackle. Not the prettiest of matches so far, to be fair.

The first effortn from Rayo Vallecano comes from set piece, as Lejeune jumps the highest to head the corner kick. However, the header has no direction, and Gazzaniga is not bothered much.

The first controversy of the match, as a Girona player is clattered right outside the box. The home side call for a penalty, but the referee waves on. A brilliant decision on replay, as the player had stopped in hopes of contact.

Soon, Luiz Felipe earns a yellow card for a clumsy challenge.

WHAT WAS THAT?! The first day of La Liga, and we have a contender for the worst moment of the season. Gazzaniga tried to play out from the back, passing it to David Lopez. The centre-back passed it back to the goalkeeper, but Gazzaniga slipped comically, allowing Jorge de Frutos to roll it into an empty net.

Girona are imploding at the moment. A lethal counter attack from the visitors, with de Frutos being just too powerful for his marker. He runs it to the edge of the box and then crosses it across the face of the goal, and Alvaro Garcia poked it in from close range.

Girona are growing into the game, with Asprilla finding himself in the box, but his shot is blocked by a Rayo defender. The hosts are pushing forward with more and more intensity now. However, Rayo are still lethal on the counter, and Isi's pace is proving to be a menace.

Arnau Martinez put in a terrific cross from the right, but none of the Girona players are alert enough to get to the end of it. Another chance goes begging for the hosts.

It goes from bad to worse for Girona's goalkeeper today. After essentially handing the first goal on a platter to de Frutos, the Argentine then gives away posession just inside the box and then grabs the Rayo player to make amends. The referee immediately blows for a penalty, and shows a straight red card to the goalkeeper. Vladyslav Krapyvtsov comes on for Bojan Miovski.

Seven minutes of added time, and Isi makes no mistake in dispatching the penalty kick. It's an unstoppable kick, giving Krapytsov absolutely no chance.

De Frutos almost got his second goal, but it is disallowed due to a foul in the buildup. Rayo had multiple good chances to increase their lead even more in the eight added minutes, but Inigo Perez will be happy with the three goals that his side have scored.

A change for both sides. Asprilla, who was non-existent in the first half, is replaced by Portu. Meanwhile, Luiz Felipe comes off for Pelayo Fernandez. The second half is underway.

Rayo have kept up their attacking intensity from first half. Unai Lopez has the first shot of the second half, but his effort from distance goes wide off the left post. The visitors are looking to make most of their numerical advantage.

Another shot off target for Rayo Vallecano, with Pedro Diaz getting his second crack at the Girona goal, picking up the loose ball and then driving towards the left post. However, the shot is weak and wide, and Diaz looks frustrated at his wasted effort.

Game on?! Brilliant play from Tsygankov, who puts on the afterburners to burst forward with the ball. Overpowering his marker, the Ukrainian forward cuts it back across the face of goal, and Joel Rica does well to find the near post with his left-footed strike.

Rayo are beginning to reassert their dominance in the match, with Chavarria's shot being blocked by the defence, which cleared the resulting corner from Isi Palazon. The Girona defence are being overwhelmed at the moment, so Thomas Lemar is being readied to come on for the hosts.

Another decent chance for Girona, with Krejci jumping over his marker to get a header in from the corner. However, it is just wide of the far post. Girona have certainly shown massive character in the second half, with their man disadvantage not very evident at the moment.

With Rayo Vallecano losing a bit of their grasp in the match, Inigo Perez makes a double change. Randy Nteka and Oscar Valentin are on, replacing Jorge de Frutos and Unai Lopez.

Thomas Lemar has a powerful effort, which was possibly goalwards, blocked by the defence. The Frenchman is looking like a smart signing for Michel's side.

Pathe Ciss thought he scored the fourth goal for Rayo, but the linesman calls it back for offside. Ciss can't believe it. Seven minutes of added time indicated by the fourth official.

It's all over in Montilivi, and Rayo hold on to their victory. The second half was much more open, with chances falling for both sides, but it was the 10-man Girona that made most of their chances and pulled one back. At the end, Rayo's dominance was too much, and the visitors secure the first win of this La Liga season.