Sevilla vs Rayo Vallecano Predictions

• Luis Garcia has lost five of his nine games as Sevilla manager
• Rayo Vallecano are unbeaten in four away games, winning three
• Four of the last seven head-to-heads have finished level

Seville showdown may be tight

Leading Rayo Vallecano to eighth and the Conference League final was enough for Villarreal to steal manager Inigo Perez from the capital club and Benat San Jose faces a tough task to follow in the footsteps of his predecessor. 

San Jose is in uncharted territory, having never managed in La Liga, but a curtain-raiser against Sevilla is certainly an easier opening assignment than he could have been handed. 

Luis Garcia’s hosts are favourites to give the new boy an unhappy welcome. However, they have just finished in the bottom half for the fourth season running and lack the overall quality of their visitors. 

New-look pair primed for a cagey encounter

Sevilla’s top scorer from last season, Akor Adams, has left for Venezia and his replacement, Robbie Ure, is unproven at this level. Juanlu Sanchez, Orjan Nyland and Joan Jordan have also moved on, leaving them light on talent, and a win seems unlikely. 

That said, Perez’s departure is sure to leave a huge impact on the Vallecano squad, and they are similarly hard to trust. 

Two of the last three head-to-heads have finished level and with so much uncertainty in both camps, another stalemate is on the cards.