bet beat Rayo Vallecano 3-1 In a match that closed the thirty-fourth round of La Liga, the result left Villarreal firmly in fifth place with four games to go, earning a Europa League berth next season. Rayo Vallecano, meanwhile, faced a harder climb toward seventh, with hopes of a Conference League spot still in reach depending on other results.
As the day concluded, both clubs clearly eyed staying on the table. A home victory would have left Villarreal seven points behind seventh and very close to fifth, while Rayo would have moved up to seventh with a win, keeping its European ambitions alive.
Both teams had shown European intent in recent outings, arriving at Benito Villamarín after different but promising runs. Betis had come off a 0-1 defeat to Athletic Bilbao at San Mamés, and Rayo had edged Valladolid 2-1 at Vallecas, each aiming to extend streaks that could propel them toward continental football.
Sevilla coach Manuel Pellegrini, a Chilean manager, continued his tactical approach by fielding Willian José, and he inserted Edgar González into the defense after a suspension kept him out in the prior match. In contrast, Andoni Iraola in Madrid kept the same lineup that faced Valladolid, retaining Abdul Mumin at center-back and deploying Florian Lejeune as a substitute after serving a suspension from the previous week.
The game began with high tempo, and in the opening minute Álvaro García delivered an angled run from the left that forced a brilliant save from Chilean goalkeeper Claudio Bravo. The rebound, however, found Isi Palazón, whose shot clanged against the post as the ball ricocheted away to safety.
Three minutes later, Brazilian Luiz Henrique intercepted a clearance from Macedonian goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski, sending the ball into a corner before delivering a left-footed volley that channeled through the goalmouth. Youssouf Sabaly, the Senegalese right-back, followed up with a powerful strike from outside the area that found the net, giving Rayo an early lead.
That early goal did not derail Betis, who continued to press with attacking intent while Rayo attempted rapid transitions into dangerous zones. Isi Palazón produced a second attempt that struck the woodwork after Bravo had shifted his position to cover the angle, keeping the scoreline tight as the first quarter of an hour elapsed.
The match unfolded with a back-and-forth flow; both teams used quick passes and packed their attacking lines, creating spaces behind the pressing lines when possession changed hands. Betis found themselves building momentum through patient passing phases, while Rayo looked to exploit counterattacking opportunities with pace and precision.
Late in the first half, Betis managed to settle the tempo with longer possession sequences, applying pressure and pinning Rayo back. From a corner kick, the defense held firm at first, but Ayoze Pérez reached the target with a well-placed header to double Betis’ advantage, making it 2-0 just before the interval.
Shortly after the halftime break, San Comesaña drilled a left-footed header from Fran García’s cross to pull one back for Rayo, trimming the deficit to 2-1. Andrés Guardado, a notable presence for Betis in the middle of the field, had to exit for William Carvalho after a collision with Oscar Trejo, a moment that sparked some protests from Verdiblancos regarding the nature of the fall on the turf.
As the game progressed beyond the hour mark, Oscar Trejo himself found a moment of danger with a strike that clipped the crossbar, signaling that Iraola’s plan was nudging toward a stalemate. Yet the clash remained fiercely contested, with Betis defending resolutely against continued Rayo pressure as the clock ticked toward the closing stages.
With the match entering the final phase, the score remained at 2-1 in favor of Betis. The home side’s defense held firm against Rayo’s persistent attacks as the visitors sought the equalizer. In stoppage time, a quick Betis counterattack swung the balance back in their favor: Joaquin Sánchez threaded a decisive pass to Borja Iglesias, who finished clinically to seal a 3-1 result and extend Betis’ lead as the match moved into added time.