Conference League semi-final second leg: Strasbourg vs Rayo Vallecano facts
Friday, May 1, 2026
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Rayo Vallecano take a 1-0 advantage to France as they face Strasbourg in the second leg of their UEFA Conference League semi-final.
Alemão's header in the 54th minute of the first leg was enough to give Rayo victory in Madrid on 30 April, in what was the meeting between Spanish and French teams in the Conference League proper.
Strasbourg recovered from another first-leg defeat to overcome Mainz in the last eight (0-2 a, 4-0 h). In the round of 16, they recorded 3-2 aggregate success against Rijeka (2-1 a, 1-1 h) after an unbeaten league phase campaign (W5 D1) in which they finished top of the table on 16 points.
Rayo held on to defeat AEK Athens 4-3 on aggregate in the quarter-finals (3-0 h, 1-3 a), having progressed to that stage by 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.
Last match
The first leg was the first fixture between the teams and Strasbourg's first against a Spanish club.
Rayo have now won all three of their fixtures against French opposition. The first two came over 25 years ago when they defeated Bordeaux 6-2 on aggregate in the 2000/01 UEFA Cup fourth round (4-1 h, 2-1 a).
The 2005/06 UEFA Cup – in which they were eliminated 2-4 on aggregate by Basel in the round of 16 (0-2 a, 2-2 h) – was also Strasbourg's last involvement in a knockout stage of European competition, although they did reach the qualifying play-offs of the 2019/20 Europa League, where they lost 1-3 on aggregate to Eintracht Frankfurt (1-0 h, 0-3 a).
Strasbourg are in their first major UEFA competition semi-final, although they did reach the same stage of the 1995 UEFA Intertoto Cup, defeating Tirol Innsbruck 7-2 on aggregate (1-1 a, 6-1 h).
Strasbourg are the second French team to reach the Conference League semi‑finals, Marseille having lost 2-3 on aggregate to Feyenoord in 2021/22.
Rayo's only previous European campaign took them to the quarter-finals of that 2000/01 UEFA Cup campaign, where they lost to fellow Spanish side Alavés 2-4 on aggregate (0-3 a, 2-1 h).
They have therefore reached their first semi‑final in only their second season of European competition.
Rayo are the second Spanish team to reach the Conference League semi‑finals, following Real Betis, who defeated Fiorentina 4-3 on aggregate at this stage last season.
Key stats
Strasbourg have won seven of their last nine two‑legged European ties.
The French side have lost just one of their 34 home matches in UEFA competition (W22 D11) — 0-1 against AC Milan in the first leg of a UEFA Cup second round tie in October 1995 (1-3 aggregate).
Strasbourg have won three of the five European ties in which they lost the first leg away, most recently against Mainz in this season's quarter-finals (0-2 a, 4-0 h).
Rayo have won eight of their nine two-legged European ties.
The Spanish outfit have lost only four of their last 19 matches in UEFA competition (W13 D2).
Rayo have won all seven of their previous European ties in which they were victorious in the first leg, three of which came after a one‑goal success in the opening match.