Conference League quarter-final first leg: Rayo Vallecano vs AEK Athens facts
Thursday, April 2, 2026
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The first leg of the UEFA Conference League quarter-finals pits Rayo Vallecano against AEK Athens in only the Spanish side's second last-eight appearance in UEFA competition.
Rayo progressed to this stage after beating Samsunspor 3-2 on aggregate in the round of 16 (3-1 a, 0-1 h). They finished their first-ever group stage/league phase campaign in fifth position in the table on 13 points.
AEK Athens also earned 13 points in the league phase but finished two places higher in third. They followed that with a 4-2 aggregate win against Celje in the round of 16 (4-0 a, 0-2 h).
Last match
This is the maiden meeting between the teams, as well as Rayo Vallecano's first fixture against Greek opponents.
AEK Athens, who are facing a Spanish team for the first time 2008, have won just two of their 18 matches against La Liga teams (D5 L11) and are winless in 15 (D5 L10). Their last win was a 1-0 victory against Athletic Club in the first leg of a 1988/89 UEFA Cup first-round tie they lost 1-2 on aggregate.
The Greek side have never won in Spain, where their record is D2 L7. They have scored in only two of those nine matches, losing the last four, most recently 0-3 at Getafe in the 2007/08 UEFA Cup round of 32 second leg (1-4 aggregate).
AEK have lost all six two-legged European ties with Spanish opponents.
Rayo's only previous European campaign took them to the quarter-finals of the 2000/01 UEFA Cup, where they lost to fellow Spanish side Alavés 2-4 on aggregate (0-3 a, 2-1 h).
They have therefore reached the last eight in both of their European campaigns.
AEK are taking part in UEFA competition for the ninth time in ten seasons, qualifying included.
This is AEK's first UEFA quarter-final since the 1997/98 European Cup Winners' Cup, when they were eliminated by Lokomotiv Moskva (0-0 h, 1-2 a). They have won just one of their four previous European quarter‑finals — a 7-6 penalty shoot-out victory against Queens Park Rangers in the 1976/77 UEFA Cup after a 3-3 aggregate draw (0-3 a, 3-0 h aet).
Key stats
Rayo have won seven of their eight previous two-legged European ties.
The Spanish side have won the first leg in six of those eight ties (D1 L1).
Rayo's 0-1 second‑leg defeat against Samsunspor in the round of 16 was their first home loss in UEFA competition. They had nine wins and one draw in their opening ten matches.
AEK have won their last three Conference League away matches.
The Greek side have lost only two of their last 15 European games (W9 D4). They had won four in a row before their 2-0 home defeat by Celje in the second leg of the round of 16.
AEK have won their last four two‑legged European ties — all this season.