Detailed data on both sides is thin on the ground for this one — we're working off pre-season glimpses and the odd friendly scoreline, not a full dossier. But what we do know is enough to get the pulse going. Sevilla have been quietly building momentum, with recent friendly results like a 2-1 win over Bayer Leverkusen and a 1-0 away win at Utrecht and a 2-1 at NEC Nijmegen. That's three wins on the spin, and while friendlies are friendlies, they tell you about sharpness and confidence. Sevilla look like a side that's found its rhythm early. Rayo Vallecano, by contrast, come in with no such warm glow — no recent results to point to, no momentum to lean on. They're the mystery box, and in a season opener at a rocking Sánchez-Pizjuán, that's a dangerous place to be.

Sevilla are at home, and that means the crowd will be a factor. The Sánchez-Pizjuán is a cauldron on opening day, and the new signings will be desperate to make an impression. Ure, the 22-year-old striker who scored 31 in 50 for Sirius, is expected to lead the line — that's a serious goal threat, and he'll be buzzing. Rayo, meanwhile, are the classic underdog who'll try to stay compact and hit on the break, but without any recent form to suggest they're clicking, you have to wonder where their goals come from. This feels like a home side with too much quality and too much momentum to slip up here.