Sevilla FC kick off La Liga 2026/27 on August 15 against Rayo Vallecano, but their rivals already stumbled in pre-season. Beñat San José's side lost 2-1 to Scottish side Hearts, league runners-up, in a match marred by Rayo's inconsistency and the visitors' solidity.
What happened in Rayo's pre-season match?
Rayo started with several changes in the starting XI, including four academy players -De las Sías, Becerra, Román and Eto'o- and new signing Amadou Ba-Sy, who opened the scoring with two headers before half-time. Hearts, unbeaten at home last season, set a relentless tempo and left Rayo with no answers in the first half.
At the break, San José made wholesale changes, bringing on more experienced players like Batalla, Ratiu and Chavarría. Camello pulled one back for Rayo in the 65th minute with a strike from outside the box, but Hearts controlled the game and sealed the win. The Scottish side now boasts three consecutive pre-season wins, while Rayo suffer their first defeat.
Why does this matter for Sevilla FC?
Sevilla FC, who finished last season 13th with 43 points and a -14 goal difference (46 scored, 60 conceded), start the new campaign against a rival coming off a setback. Rayo Vallecano, now led by Beñat San José after Íñigo Pérez's move to Villarreal, already have a loss on the board before facing Sevilla at Estadio de La Cartuja.
Rayo's defeat to Hearts comes at a bad time for the Madrid side, who have now lost four consecutive pre-season games and arrive at the Sevilla tie with serious questions over their form. Sevilla, meanwhile, need to rediscover their rhythm after a 2025/26 season that saw them lose four straight matches and finish with a 1W-0D-4L record in their last five outings.
What's next for both teams?
Sevilla FC's first official match is on August 15 in La Liga, while Rayo Vallecano will look to regain confidence in their next fixture. The Madrid side, already beaten in their pre-season opener, must improve before facing Sevilla in a key season opener for both teams.
Sevilla FC, who started last season with 43 points and 12 wins, will aim to start strongly in La Liga. The Andalusian side, who ended the season with a 0-1 loss to Celta Vigo on May 23, 2026, will look to put a difficult campaign behind them and secure their first three points of the new season.
