In a repeat of one of last season’s Copa del Rey semi-finals, LaLiga will see Rayo Vallecano begin their 2023 on home turf up against Manuel Pellegrini’s Real Betis after both ended 2022 with disappointing draws.

In the case of the away team, it was a goalless draw against Athletic Club which included a red card for central defender Luis Felipe. We’re unlikely to see many more goals in this next outing either as Real Betis have only scored five goals on the road, but equally have only conceded seven in as many away fixtures.

Felipe’s absence at the back is a blow for the Verdiblancos, but in Víctor Ruiz and Germán Pezzella they have an experienced pairing, while youngster Félix Garreta looked assured against Athletic. History backs up the lack of goals too. A LaLiga game involving the two teams in Vallecas has not had more than 2.5 goals since 2014. At the time, Rayo coach Andoni Iraola was still playing for Athletic in LaLiga and Betis coach Pellegrini was about to win the Premier League with Manchester City.

Rayo will hope to count upon striker Raúl de Tomás to make his debut back at the club after joining in September, as he should recover from a minor knock. Without a game of competitive action since the end of the 2021/22 season, we shouldn’t expect him to hit the ground running and the goalscoring weight will fall upon Isi Palazón and Atleti loanee Sergio Camello. Given that Palazón is Rayo’s top scorer on just four goals, it’s likely to be a tie of fine margins.

Jorge Sampaoli’s arrival at Sevilla was expected to kick start the Andalusians’ campaign, but the Argentine coach has still won only one of his eight games in charge of the team in LaLiga. Sevilla are yet to win at home in LaLiga this season and have not won any of their last six games, seeing them drop into the relegation zone with only the league’s bottom team, Elche, having picked up fewer points since mid-October.

That means that Getafe could be optimistic of taking at least a point from the Estadio Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán, despite the odds being against them. Copa del Rey defeat to Segunda side Levante will inspire them to bounce back, and the Azulones have only lost one of their last seven in LaLiga, keeping clean sheets in four of those games. That means that they will be looking to keep a shut-out to deny Sevilla. Given that Sevilla have only scored 0.57 goals per 90 at home in LaLiga this season, that could be an easy task.

Getafe have not won against Sevilla at their own stadium since 2010, but they have probably not had a better opportunity than this one either. Coach Quique Sánchez Flores has faced Sevilla four times in charge of the team, winning one and drawing two, and so knows what it takes to beat a Sevilla side.

The home team will be overwhelming favourites for this game, but with a leaky defence conceding 1.6 goals per game at home on average, Getafe may fancy their chances of taking at least a point and offer very good value to do so.