Sevilla will visit Rayo Vallecano in the La Liga looking for their fourth win this season. As of right now, Rayo is eight points above the bottom three in 13th place in the table. The visitors are down in 16th place, just one point clear of the relegation zone.
Preview (Rayo Vallecano vs. Sevilla)
In their 22 league games this season, Rayo has won five, drawn nine, and lost eight. Despite their dismal recent performance, the capital team should be looking up the table rather than down. They are eight points clear of Cadiz in the 18th position and five points behind Getafe in the 10th. After losing to Las Palmas and Atletico Madrid, Francisco’s team has only won once in the league since October. In their last three games, they have only managed one point, drawing against Real Sociedad.
On Wednesday night, Rayo had a great opportunity to earn a point away at Atletico. Memphis Depay gave Diego Simeone’s team a 2-1 lead in the ninetieth minute. After finishing 11th in Spain’s top division the previous season, Los Franjirrojos have gone undefeated in their past four La Liga games against Sevilla, including a 2-2 draw in the rematch at Estadio Ramon in October. In the meantime, Sevilla has faced another incredibly challenging season in the top division of Spain. Manager Quique Sanchez Flores’s club is struggling to keep its record intact by staying in the Segunda Division.
Team News
Due to a muscular issue, Rayo will miss Diego Mendez’s game on Monday, while Bebe is still out because the attacker is representing Cape Verde at the Africa Cup of Nations. In the final moments of the January transfer window, midfielder Miguel Crespo joined the team on loan from Fenerbahce, and he is expected to make his team debut here. After serving his suspension that kept him out against Atletico, Unai Lopez will be back in the starting lineup and is anticipated to play in the center of the field for the home team. Regarding Sevilla, injuries have sidelined Dodi Lukebakio, Nemanja Gudelj, Erik Lamela, and Mario Diaz. Mario Diaz is still a serious doubt.
Suso and Sergio Ramos will also be absent for the visitors due to suspension; the former was sent off against Osasuna last time out, while the latter received a milestone booking. With his Morocco team eliminated from the Africa Cup of Nations, Youssef En-Nesyri may be able to rejoin the team; however, Alejo Veliz, a recent loan addition from Tottenham Hotspur, is not yet healthy enough to play because of a knee injury.
Rayo Vallecano 1-1 Sevilla
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