Sevilla come into this one off the back of a scrappy 2-1 friendly win over Ceuta at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán. It's pre-season, so read into that what you will, but there's something to hold onto: they found a way to win, even when it wasn't pretty. That's the Sevilla way under the lights in Nervión. The stadium will be bouncing for the opening league fixture, and this is a club that knows how to start campaigns with a statement. They've got European pedigree, a squad that's been reshaped but still carries that Andalusian grit, and a home crowd that expects nothing less than three points.

Rayo Vallecano, meanwhile, finished last season with a thumping 2-0 home win over Villarreal at Vallecas. That result shows they can turn up against quality opposition, but it also highlights their pattern: they're dangerous at home, less convincing on the road. Away from the cauldron of Vallecas, Rayo often shrink into a shell, happy to soak up pressure and nick something on the break. That approach can work, but against a Sevilla side desperate to impose themselves in front of their own fans, it's a risky game. The momentum here is with the home side, even if the evidence is thin. Sevilla look sharper, more settled, and they've got the psychological edge of playing at the Pizjuán.