Preview: Rayo Vallecano vs Sevilla - prediction, team news, lineups

Both Rayo Vallecano and Sevilla will be looking to bounce back from defeats when they lock horns in Spain's top flight on Sunday afternoon.

Rayo are currently 14th in the La Liga table, picking up five points from their first six matches, while the visitors are 12th, boasting seven points from their first six games of the 2025-26 campaign.

Match preview

Rayo have a record of one win, two draws and three defeats from their first six La Liga matches of the season, with five points leaving them in 14th spot in the table, only two points ahead of the relegation zone.

The capital outfit will begin their Conference League league phase against Shkendija next week, but their focus is currently on La Liga, and they will be aiming to bounce back from Wednesday's defeat to Atletico Madrid.

Inigo Perez's side came from behind to lead Atletico 2-1 in the 77th minute of their last match, but Julian Alvarez scored twice in the latter stages to help Diego Simeone's team record a 3-2 win.

Rayo have not been victorious in La Liga since beating Girona in gameweek one, so there is a degree of pressure on the home side to pick up a positive result on Sunday afternoon.

Los Franjirrojos have only won 11 of their previous 54 matches against Sevilla in all competitions, while it was 1-1 in the corresponding game between the two sides during the 2024-25 campaign.

Sevilla are actually unbeaten in their last five La Liga matches against Rayo, while they have only lost once to the capital side in Spain's top flight since January 2012.

Los Nervionenses finished down in 17th spot in La Liga last season, which represented their worst top-flight campaign since being relegated in 2000, so there is plenty of room for improvement this term.

Matias Almeyda's side have a record of two wins, one draw and three defeats from their six league matches this season, with seven points leaving them in 12th spot in the table.

Sevilla suffered back-to-back defeats to Athletic Bilbao and Getafe at the start of the 2025-26 campaign before taking seven points from their next three games, beating Girona and Alaves either side of a draw with Elche.

However, the visitors will enter this match off the back of a defeat, having lost 2-1 to Villarreal on Tuesday, with Manor Solomon netting the winning goal for the Yellow Submarine in the latter stages.

Rayo Vallecano La Liga form:

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Rayo Vallecano form (all competitions):

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Sevilla La Liga form:

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Team News

Rayo will be without the services of three players through injury, with Abdul Mumin, Luiz Felipe and Randy Nteka unavailable for selection on Sunday afternoon.

Head coach Perez will make changes to the side that took to the field for the first whistle against Atletico, with Alvaro Garcia, Pathe Ciss, Gerard Gumbau and Sergio Camello among those set to be introduced.

Jorge de Frutos has been in strong form this season, scoring three times and registering three assists in seven appearances, and he will again feature in the final third of the field.

As for Sevilla, Alfon Gonzalez and Tanguy Nianzou are definitely out due to injury problems, while Joan Jordan requires a late fitness test to determine his availability for the contest.

Head coach Almeyda will make a number of changes to the side that started against Villarreal, with Marcao, Jose Angel Carmona, Batista Mendy, Ruben Vargas, Isaac Romero and Alexis Sanchez all in line to return.

There should also be a spot in the middle of the midfield for Lucien Agoume, who is currently being heavily linked with both Manchester United and Arsenal.

Rayo Vallecano possible starting lineup:

Batalla; Ratiu, Lejeune, Ciss, Chavarria; Diaz, Gumbau; De Frutos, Palazon, A Garcia; Camello

Sevilla possible starting lineup:

Vlachodimos; Salas, Marcao, Azpilicueta; Carmona, Agoume, Mendy, Suazo; Sanchez, Romero, Vargas

We say: Rayo Vallecano 1-1 Sevilla

Only 12 of the previous 54 matches between Rayo and Sevilla have finished level, but four of their last seven meetings have ended in draws, and we are expecting another stalemate to occur this weekend.

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