Rayo Vallecano vs Real Betis predictions and match preview for Sunday’s LaLiga fixture. Read on for analysis, team news and predicted lineups as Betis head to the capital.
| Date | Sunday 8th January 2023 |
| Kick-Off | 16:15 (CET) |
| Stadium | Vallecas |
| Competition | LaLiga |
Rayo Vallecano vs Real Betis Preview
Rayo Vallecano and Real Betis clash in Vallecas on Sunday in LaLiga. Both sides have done well so far this season and will be looking to build on strong starts as we get fully up and running again in LaLiga.
Andoni Iraola continues to do a fantastic job at Rayo and his team have already put in some outstanding home performances. Their 3-2 win over Real Madrid just prior to the World Cup will live long in the memory of many Rayo fans and they’ll be hoping to recreate that kind of atmosphere as the season progresses with European qualification currently not out of reach, although there is a long way to go.
It’s not just at home Rayo have been doing well either with a 7 game unbeaten streak in the league heading into this suggesting they are now quite simply a really competitive side that even the best teams in the league cannot afford to take lightly. There was a setback in midweek in the form of a 2-0 Copa del Rey defeat at Sporting, although Iraola’s team selection suggests this game is very much the priority.
As for Real Betis, there are perhaps a few more issues for Manuel Pellegrini to concern himself with. His team are still sitting pretty in the top six heading into this matchday, but they have only managed to win 1 of their last 6 league games. They weren’t great on the resumption last week with a 0-0 home draw against Athletic Club, not the result or performance they were hoping for.
Betis did at least spring into life in the 2nd Half of their Copa del Rey tie in Ibiza in midweek with Willian Jose netting a brace in a 4-1 win. It was a good start to Betis’ cup defence but they have a busy month ahead with Supercopa action in Saudi Arabia to come next week. They could do with some form of result here but a return of just 8 points from 7 away games so far this term doesn’t inspire too much confidence.
Team News & Possible Lineups
Rayo Vallecano
| INJURED | |
| DOUBTFUL | |
| BANNED |
Possible XI: Dimitrievski – Fran Garcia, Catena, Lejeune, Balliu – Comesana, Valentin – Alvaro Garcia, Trejo, Isi – Camello (4-2-3-1)
Coach: Andoni Iraola
Real Betis
| INJURED | Juan Cruz, Paul, Sabaly |
| DOUBTFUL | Camarasa |
| BANNED | Luis Felipe |
Possible XI: Silva – Moreno, Edgar, Pezzella, Ruibal – Guido, Carvalho – Henrique, Fekir, Canales – Iglesias (4-2-3-1)
Coach: Manuel Pellegrini
Score Prediction: Rayo Vallecano 2-1 Real Betis
We may see Raul De Tomas make his debut for Rayo here, although given his lengthy break from competitive football, it’s more likely to be off the bench. Even without R.D.T. Rayo have continued to look good going forwards at home with 1.71 goals per game on average in front of their own fans while Betis have only managed 0.71 goals per game on their travels. Rayo are always a handful whenever they can get their best XI out in Vallecas and that should be the case here and it wouldn’t be a surprise if they edged this.
PLEASE NOTE – Our LaLiga predictions are not betting tips! No profits are guaranteed if you’re using them to bet on Spanish football. If you are gambling, do so responsibly and never stake more than you can afford to lose. BeGambleAware.
