Sevilla vs Rayo Vallecano prediction: SPAIN: LaLiga betting tips on match 2023-10-06 19:00.
After a creditable 2-2 draw with PSV in the UEFA Champions League during the week, Sevilla must swiftly turn their attention back to some pressing La Liga (LL) matters as they look to build on a poor start which sees them languish in the bottom half of the early standings (W2, D1, L4). In fact, Sevilla had never recorded more than four defeats across their opening seven rounds of any campaign in the 21st century, suggesting that midweek games may well be taking a toll.
A home return could stimulate a resurgence as Sevilla are unbeaten across their last three competitive home games (W2, D1), only drawing in European action during that sequence. Further fanning the flames of hope will be the fact that Sevilla won 16 of their last 19 home H2Hs against Rayo Vallecano (D1, L2), yet the most recent of those encounters was the first time they’d failed to score against Vallecano here in the top-flight.
Visiting Vallecano will travel here with the advantage of extra rest days and a solid league start under their belts (W3, D3, L2). All three of their league draws this term did come across their last three matches though, which is their longest run of draws at this level since another three-game sequence in 2016 – one which included a 2-2 stalemate against Sevilla!
After they followed up two wins ‘to nil’ with two scoring blanks ahead of this trip, Rayo are yet to see both teams score on the day on the road this LL season (W2, D1, L1). Not since early 2022 have Rayo failed to score in three consecutive LL away games of a single season, so one may expect them to at least bounce back and score a goal here after they put behind them 5-0 and 3-0 away H2H losses with a 1-0 triumph in their latest visit to this venue.
Players to watch: Youssef En-Nesyri has popped up with a goal in the first or last ten minutes of regulation time for Sevilla in his last two appearances either side of an injury absence. Trying to stop him will be Rayo defender Pathé Ciss, the man who has also scored just one of their two away goals from open play this season.
Hot stat: Sevilla haven’t picked up a point after conceding the first goal this LL season (L4).