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Real Betis logo
La Liga | Gameweek 18
Dec 22, 2024 at 8pm UK
Estadio Benito Villamarin
Rayo Vallecano logo

Betis
1 - 1
Rayo Vallecano

Isco (37' pen.)
FT(HT: 1-0)
Isi (51')
Ciss (27'), Garcia (36'), Isi (81'), Espino (90+4')

Preview: Real Betis vs. Rayo Vallecano - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Sunday's La Liga clash between Real Betis and Rayo Vallecano, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Real Betis will be aiming to make it four straight wins in all competitions when they welcome Rayo Vallecano to Seville on Sunday night.

Manuel Pellegrini's side are currently ninth in the La Liga table, picking up 24 points from their opening 17 matches of the campaign, while Rayo are 12th, with the capital outfit collecting 21 points from their 17 games.


Match preview

Real Betis manager Manuel Pellegrini on November 23, 2024© Imago

Real Betis have had a busy December, already taking to the field on six occasions, and they have lost just once during a successful month, recording four wins in the process, including their last three in all competitions.

Indeed, Pellegrini's side have beaten Petrocub and HJK in the Conference League either side of a 2-1 success over Villarreal, with that result moving them into ninth spot in the La Liga table, boasting 24 points from 17 matches.

Real Betis are only three points behind fifth-placed Villarreal on the same number of matches and will be expecting to be in the argument for a potential European spot come the end of the campaign.

The Green and Whites have only been beaten once at home in the league this season, picking up 15 points from eight matches, and they will now be bidding to enter the winter break in Spain off the back of a fourth straight victory.

The Seville outfit have won three of their last four league matches against Rayo, but they suffered a 2-0 defeat when the two teams last locked horns in Madrid earlier this year.

Isi Palazon for Rayo Vallecano on December 14, 2024© Imago

Rayo, meanwhile, were involved in a six-goal thriller against Real Madrid last weekend, which finished 3-3, before again taking to the field on Wednesday night, picking up another point in a 1-1 draw away to Villarreal.

The capital outfit are unbeaten since a 2-1 reverse to Athletic Bilbao at the start of the month, so they are also in good form, while a solid campaign to date has left them in 12th spot in the La Liga table on 21 points.

Inigo Perez's side are only three points behind Real Betis and sit six points above the relegation zone, so the team should be looking up the division rather than down heading towards the start of 2025.

Los Franjirrojos actually finished 17th during a disappointing 2023-24 campaign, so there was plenty of room for improvement this term, and there have been a lot of positive signs in the first half of the season.

Real Betis La Liga form:


Real Betis form (all competitions):


Rayo Vallecano La Liga form:


Rayo Vallecano form (all competitions):



Team News

Isi Palazon celebrates for Rayo Vallecano on December 14, 2024© Imago

Real Betis will again be missing Hector Bellerin, Marc Roca and William Carvalho through injury, while Rui Silva and Pablo Fornals are major doubts for this weekend's contest.

The hosts will also be without the services of Ezequiel Avila, who was handed a red card against Villarreal last weekend.

Head coach Pellegrini is expected to make just the one change from the side that started against Villarreal, with Assane Diao, who featured from the off in Europe on Thursday, likely to be given the nod in a wide area due to Avila's absence.

As for Rayo, Pelayo Fernandez and Raul de Tomas are again both set to be absent, but the visitors are otherwise in strong shape for their final match of the year.

Head coach Perez could make a couple of changes to the side that took to the field for the first whistle against Villarreal on Wednesday, with Isi Palazon and Pathe Ciss potentially coming into the XI.

Alvaro Garcia was on the scoresheet in the clash with the Yellow Submarine, and the Spaniard is again expected to feature in a wide area, with Oscar Trejo staying as the number 10.


Real Betis possible starting lineup:
Vieites; Sabaly, Bartra, Llorente, Perraud; Cardoso, Altimira; Diao, Lo Celso, Ezzalzouli; Roque

Rayo Vallecano possible starting lineup:
Batalla; Balliu, Lejeune, Mumin, Espino; Valentin, Ciss; De Frutos, Trejo, A Garcia; Palazon


SM words green background

We say: Real Betis 2-1 Rayo Vallecano

This is a really tough match to call, and it would not be a surprise to see the points shared on Sunday; Real Betis were 1-0 winners in the corresponding game last season, though, and we can see another narrow success for the hosts on this occasion.



For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.


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Written by
Matt Law

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Game History

How you voted: Betis vs Rayo Vallecano

Real Betis
Draw
Rayo Vallecano
Real Betis
74.6%
Draw
17.5%
Rayo Vallecano
7.9%
63
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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
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3Barcelona19122551222938
4Athletic Bilbao19106329171236
5Villarreal188643430430
6Mallorca199371921-230
7Real Sociedad187471613325
8GironaGirona187472625125
9Real BetisBetis186752122-125
10Osasuna186752327-425
11Celta Vigo187382728-124
12Rayo Vallecano185762021-122
13Las PalmasLas Palmas186482327-422
14Sevilla186482027-722
15Leganes184681728-1118
16AlavesAlaves184592130-917
17Getafe183781115-416
18Espanyol1843111630-1415
19Valencia172691626-1012
20Real ValladolidValladolid1833121237-2512


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