Rayo Vallecano – Real Betis

Betis should take points from Rayo Vallecano by a margin

On Sunday 8 January, Rayo Vallecano take on Betis at home. "The Cucumbers remain one of the main contenders for fourth place and qualification to the Champions League. The break has undoubtedly benefited Betis. Now head coach Manuel Pellegrini has got almost all the main players at his disposal. Plus there was time for the players to get in shape before the crucial part of the season. Betis did not have a significant delegation at the World Cup. The first leg against Athletic was a success in terms of quality of play. The Sevillians failed to penetrate the Basque defence, but they acted more dangerously. The combination of Fekir and the young Brazilian Henrique looks very promising over the long haul. So far, there has been a lack of execution of chances. It is in terms of defensive play that we should expect a breakthrough from Betis in the second half of the season. According to advanced statistics, the Cucumbers are not even among the top ten teams in terms of danger at their goal. There should be some progress, which was already evident in both the game against Athletic and in the friendlies. For example, Betis beat Manchester United in December. There are no significant disadvantages for the visitors in the current stretch. Rayo Vallecano is very evenly matched this season. The club is anchored in the middle of the table and has a great chance to finish the championship without too much excitement in the fight for survival. That said, the dynamic of last year is somewhat straining. Rayo Vallecano were among the leaders in the first half, but performed at their worst in the second round. The match against Girona did not work out either. "The Bees led twice in the game against a rival, but ultimately failed to hold on for the win. Rayo Vallecano were even lucky to snatch a draw. The opponents created many more chances. The Bees have a very good dynamic in their home encounters. Only one defeat has been registered so far. The most resounding victory was over Real Madrid. It is so far the biggest success of the season. Also, Rayo did not lose to Barcelona and Atletico, and Sevilla won on the road at all. Andoni Iraola's side have their best games against the top clubs. At the same time, the odds for the next game are a big mystery. Rayo Vallecano suffered a defeat to Segunda club Sporting in the Copa del Rey. The performance advantage is by a wide margin on Betis' side. The Sevillians are highly motivated and in good form, judging from matches against higher level opponents. An odds higher than 3.30 is definitely too much for Betis. The team is injury-free, Rayo will happily settle for a draw against such an opponent. Victory over Real Madrid at home does not mean that the Bees will always beat the club from the top half of the table.