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

Real Betis welcome fellow in-form side Rayo Vallecano to the Estadio Benito Villamarin for Sunday's La Liga clash.

The hosts enter gameweek 10 occupying eighth place with 15 points to their name, one less than their sixth-placed opponents.

Match preview

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Betis' reward for finishing sixth last season was a place in the Europa League, which they are looking good value to advance in after Thursday's 1-1 draw with Bayer Leverkusen.

Matching or indeed bettering that impressive finish in La Liga this time around is the aim for Los Verdiblancos, and they have made a positive start to the 2021-22 campaign.

After taking four games to get off the mark with their first win, Betis' return of 13 points from the last 18 on offer has them in a European spot.

The four wins Manuel Pellegrini's side have managed in their last six matches is as many as they managed in their previous 15, suggesting that they are very much back on track.

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This weekend's visit of Vallecano will present Betis with a chance to climb further up the table, though their opponents have themselves won four of their last five matches.

Los Franjirrojos finished sixth in the second tier last term before going up via the playoffs, making their early-season form this campaign all the more impressive.

Andoni Iraola's side have not been all that impressive of their travels, though, having won one, drawn one and lost three away from home since earning promotion.

Rayo are also winless in their last four games against Betis and have failed to win in any of their last seven visits to Andalusian sides in La Liga, losing the last three.

Team News

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Youssef Salaby is Betis's only confirmed absentee, the defender having yet to play a competitive game for the club since joining from Bordeaux in the summer.

Pellegrini is expected to make use of his squad by making a couple of changes from the Leverkusen stalemate, which should see Willian Jose restored to the starting lineup.

Sergio Canales was a second-half substitute on Thursday and is another in line for a recall in the final third here.

As for the visitors, Radamel Falcao is still finding his feet at his new side but is expected to make his third start of the season this weekend.

If that is the case, Sergi Guardiola is the most likely candidate to make way from the 2-1 win over Elche.

Falcao, incidentally, has scored on his two visits to the Benito Villamarin in La Liga, both as an Atletico Madrid player in 2012.

Pathe Ciss, used as a substitute in that most recent match, is also a contender to come into the XI.

Real Betis possible starting lineup:
Bravo; Bellerin, Pezzella, Ruiz, Moreno; Rodriguez, Carvalho; Sanchez, Canales, Fekir; Willian Jose

Rayo Vallecano possible starting lineup:
Dimitrievski; Balliu, Saveljich, Catena, Garcia; Ciss, Comesana; Palazon, Trejo, Garcia; Falcao

We say: Real Betis 1-1 Rayo Vallecano

Both sides have been in good form of late and just one point separates them with nine games of the La Liga campaign played.

Betis have a quick turnaround in matches on the back of their midweek European exertions, and we can see that showing in a tightly-contested draw.