New coaches kick off the season with a head-to-head test: prediction for Sevilla vs Rayo Vallecano
The opening round of the Spanish championship between Sevilla and Rayo Vallecano is set for August 15, 2026, at Sevilla’s home ground. Last season, the Madrid side finished eighth, while the Andalusians only managed 13th place. Now, both teams enter the new campaign with revamped squads and fresh coaching staffs.
Sevilla: reasons for cautious optimism this summer
The past few years have been tough for Sevilla: after finishing fourth in the 2021/22 season, the team has failed to return to the top four, placing 12th, 14th, 17th, and 13th consecutively. In the last campaign, they avoided relegation by just a single point, so Luis García Plaza has a major rebuilding job on his hands.
Preseason preparations were generally productive - five wins in seven friendlies, although the final outing ended in a 1-2 defeat to Bayer. All eyes will be on newcomer Robbie Yuru: the striker arrived from Sirius after netting 31 goals in 50 matches, including 15 in the first 15 games of the 2026 season.
Rayo Vallecano: a new era after a successful season
Rayo wrapped up last season in eighth place, just one point behind Getafe, and also reached the UEFA Conference League final, where they fell to Crystal Palace. After Iñigo Pérez left for Villarreal, Beñat San José took over as head coach.
Preseason wasn’t as convincing as their rivals: three defeats in four friendlies, including a 0-3 loss to Ipswich. However, the squad was bolstered by Josua Vertraud, Giorgi Tsitaishvili, and Marash Kumbulla, significantly reshaping the Madrid club’s back line.
Match facts and head-to-head
- Last season, Rayo Vallecano finished eighth and Sevilla came in 13th.
- Sevilla won five of their seven summer friendly matches.
- Rayo have beaten Sevilla just 11 times in their previous 56 head-to-head clashes.
The hosts will find it tough to break the visitors: Sevilla vs Rayo Vallecano prediction
Sevilla look slightly more convincing after preseason and will benefit from home advantage. However, the team is still in transition, and major squad changes mean stability is far from guaranteed in the opening round.
Rayo had a weak preseason, but last season proved they can compete with solid opposition. In this opening fixture, the gap between the teams is unlikely to be significant, so the smart bet is on “Rayo Vallecano not to lose” at 1.68.
