Rayo Vallecano is favored to win this UEFA Conference League Round of 16 first leg match, with odds showing them at +140 on the moneyline compared to Samsunspor's +280. Rayo's stronger league position and recent form give them the edge, though Samsunspor will be dangerous at home with striker Marius Mouandilmadji in excellent form with 7 goals in 8 matches.

The match kicks off at 8:00 PM UTC on March 19, 2026, which converts to 10:00 PM CET (Central European Time) or 3:00 PM EST (Eastern Standard Time) for international viewers.

The match takes place at Samsun Yeni 19 Mayıs Stadyumu in Samsun, Turkey, a modern venue that serves as Samsunspor's home ground and has proven to be a strong fortress with good attendance and atmosphere for European matches.

Rayo Vallecano are slight favorites with a prediction leaning toward a narrow away victory or draw, given the first-leg nature of this knockout tie. The over 2.5 goals line sits at -110, suggesting a competitive match with scoring chances for both sides, particularly from Rayo's creative midfield led by Álvaro García.

This is the first competitive meeting between these teams in the UEFA Conference League Round of 16. Both sides finished their group stages strongly—Rayo with 13 goals scored and a +6 goal difference, while Samsunspor posted 10 goals with a +4 difference, setting up an evenly matched two-legged tie with everything to play for in the second leg.