Real Betis vs Rayo Vallecano predictions and match preview for Thursday’s Copa del Rey fixture. Read on for expert analysis, the head-to-head, team news and predicted lineups as Betis target a hometown cup Final.
| Date | Thursday 3rd March 2022 |
| Kick-Off | 21:00 (local time) |
| Stadium | Benito Villamarin |
| Competition | Copa del Rey |
Real Betis vs Rayo Vallecano Preview
The Copa del Rey Semi-Finals conclude on Thursday evening in Seville, which will also host the Final. Betis are hoping to be there and they are firm favourites having won the 1st Leg against Rayo 2-1 in Vallecas.
Goals from Borja Iglesias and William Carvalho in Madrid put Betis on track for the Final and a big crowd will be expecting them to finish the job at the Benito Villamarin. That will bring its own pressures but everything we’ve seen from Betis this season suggests they should be able to cope. They are riding high in 3rd place in LaLiga but Rayo can perhaps take some encouragement from their last two displays which have been less convincing.
3-2 up from the 1st Leg in their Europa League clash with Zenit, they were made to work really hard for progress and were fortunate to grind out a 0-0 draw with the Russian side having a goal controversially disallowed at the death. Manuel Pellegrini’s side weren’t at their best in the Seville derby at the weekend either, losing 2-1 at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan and you do wonder if fatigue might be starting to become a factor given the heavy workload they’ve had.
Rayo don’t have as many distractions and still sit comfortably in mid-table in LaLiga despite losing all of their last 5 league games. Indeed they haven’t avoided defeat in the league since holding Betis to a 1-1 draw in early January. That’s far from ideal heading into a game of this magnitude but we did see more from Rayo at the weekend, as they gave a good account of themselves against leaders Real Madrid.
Only a really well-worked goal from the visitors settled the game late on but Rayo had 19 attempts on the Real Madrid goal and showed at their best, they can carry a real attacking threat. Truth be told, we have only consistently seen that in Vallecas this term. They’ve only won one away league game, losing nine, and they need to produce their best away showing of the season if they are to stand any chance of progress here.
Head to Head
- Last 6 Competitive Meetings (after 90 minutes): 3 Betis Wins, 3 Draws.
- Betis are unbeaten in 6 league games against Rayo.
- They won the 1st Leg of this tie 2-1 in Vallecas.
- However Rayo did knock Betis out of the Copa del Rey on penalties in 2020.
Team News
Betis have injury concerns over Juan Miranda and Martin Montoya. Juanmi returns having missed the derby due to suspension.
Rayo have a doubt over Oscar Valentin who limped off at the weekend following a bad tackle by Casemiro. Radamel Falcao will be hoping to rotate in up front.
Possible Lineups
Betis: Silva – Moreno, Ruiz, Bartra, Bellerín – Carvalho, Guido – Juanmi, Fekir, Canales – Iglesias (4-2-3-1)
Rayo: Dimitrievski – García, Catena, Suárez, Balliu – Valentín, Comesaña – A. García, Trejo, Isi – Falcao (4-2-3-1)
Real Betis vs Rayo Vallecano Predictions
Score Prediction: Real Betis 2-1 Rayo Vallecano (Aggregate: 4-2)
As long as Betis can handle the occasion and don’t get edgy with a hometown Final so close, there should only be one winner here. Rayo are good to watch and can cause problems for any team at their best, but their woeful away form and current struggles suggest the hosts ought to make it through.
PLEASE NOTE – Our Copa del Rey predictions are not betting tips. No profits are guaranteed if you’re using them to bet on football. If you are gambling, do so responsibly and never stake more than you can afford to lose. BeGambleAware.
Mark Sochon is an experienced football writer and editor of LaLiga Expert. Based in Madrid, he has covered La Liga and Spanish football for many years. He also covers Spanish and European football for Goal and Betfred, while his work has previously been published by the Guardian and World Soccer.