Rayo Vallecano vs Sevilla predictions and match preview for Sunday’s LaLiga fixture. Read on for analysis, team news and predicted lineups as Sevilla head to Vallecas.
| Date | Sunday 19th February 2023 |
| Kick-Off | 16:15 (CET) |
| Stadium | Vallecas |
| Competition | LaLiga |
Rayo Vallecano vs Sevilla Preview
Sevilla travel to Vallecas for a Sunday showdown with Rayo Vallecano. They do so on the back of an excellent European win but of these two sides, it’s certainly Rayo who are more likely to be involved in continental action next term.
They are 6th heading into this matchday and they are there on merit. It’s 3 wins out of 5 for Andoni Iraola’s side in LaLiga. They rightly get plaudits for their attacking intent and so-called “organised chaos”, but it is perhaps worth taking a moment to reflect on their defensive capabilities too as that is sometimes overlooked with Iraola a more pragmatic coach than someone like Marcelo Bielsa who he has been widely compared to over the past fortnight.
All of those recent Rayo wins came to nil and one of the keys to their improvement this season has been Florian Lejeune. It wasn’t exactly a headline-making signing when the centre-back joined from relegated Alaves but he has slotted nicely into this team and the Frenchman’s presence has helped Rayo keep clean sheets in 38% of their league games.
These are slightly more positive times for Sevilla too, although that’s not hard given their disastrous start to the season. Jorge Sampaoli has guided them to 4 straight home league wins, doubling their points tally for the season in the process. It’s very hard to see Sevilla now being dragged into any sort of relegation battle and that will also aid their chances of enjoying fresh success in the Europa League.
Sevilla have one foot in the Last 16 of that competition after cruising to a 3-0 win over PSV in one of their most impressive performances of the season on Thursday night. However they still have some way to go before we can be really convinced by this Sevilla side. Recent away performances have not been anywhere near as good with just 1 point from their 3 road trips in LaLiga since the World Cup and even that was scarcely deserved in Vigo.
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
Sevilla
| INJURED | Rekik, Tecatito, Marcao, Papu Gomez |
| DOUBTFUL | Bade |
| BANNED | Jordan, Gudelj |
Possible XI: Bono – Acuna, Nianzou, Fernando, Montiel – Gueye, Rakitic – Ocampos, Oliver, Suso – En Nesyri (4-2-3-1)
Coach: Jorge Sampaoli
Score Prediction: Rayo Vallecano 2-1 Sevilla
Sevilla did play well on Thursday night but having a big European tie less than 72 hours before a trip to high-intensity Rayo is less than ideal. Jorge Sampaoli may feel as though he has to ring the changes and they may struggle to get a result here with Rayo set to be at full strength again in terms of selection.
PLEASE NOTE – Our LaLiga previews and 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.
