Rayo Vallecano vs Sevilla prediction: SPAIN: LaLiga betting tips on match 2024-02-04 20:00.
Things were looking great for Rayo Vallecano as they headed towards a 1-1 draw against city rivals AtlĂ©tico Madrid, before a cruel 90th minute winner followed by a red card for Rayo boss Francisco left them with nothing. That result in turn extended Rayoâs winless run of league games to three (D1, L2) and they risk fading into mid-table obscurity as they sit eight points above the drop zone and 12 from the European places ahead of the round.
Much of Rayoâs problems this season stem from their woeful home form, which sees them enter here on a winless streak of eight at Campo de FĂștbol de Vallecas (D5, L3). Thatâs their longest wait for a home league win since an 11-game sequence in 2022, which included a 1-1 draw against none other than Sevilla, a side who theyâll hope to defeat this time as their typically talented visitors incredibly find themselves embroiled in a relegation battle this season.
A 1-1 draw against Osasuna last time out saw Sevilla head into the round just one point above the drop zone with just 17 points to their name, their lowest total after 22 La Liga rounds since their relegation season in 1999/00. Ending their five-game wait for a league win will be key to putting some distance between themselves and the bottom-three then, yet theyâve only managed draws in three of the last four away H2Hs (W1).
That aligns well with manager Quique SĂĄnchez Floresâ 100% draw record in personal clashes against Rayo (D3), although heâll hope to end that run here as all three of his competitive wins since his December appointment have come away. Despite that positive, Sevilla travel here after conceding six unanswered goals across two away games since taking the lead at Girona, with their porous defence a huge area for improvement.
Players to watch: Ălvaro GarcĂa announced his return from suspension with a goal for Rayo in the last round, although heâs now failed to win any of his last four scoring appearances (D2, L2), including the 2-2 draw in the reverse H2H. Similarly, Sevillaâs Lucas Ocampos has frustratingly won just one of his four scoring appearances this season (D2, L1), although that one victory was their only away league win in 2023/24.
Hot stat: Rayo have won just two of their seven league games as pre-match favourites this season (W2, D3, L2).