Real Betis are on the brink of being relegated from La Liga after slumping to a 3-1 defeat away to Rayo Vallecano this afternoon.

Ruben Rochina fired the hosts ahead after 14 minutes, before the visitors' misery was compounded when Paulao converted into his own net shortly before the half-hour mark.

Betis should have halved the deficit before the break through Jorge Molina, who fired agonisingly wide from inside the area as Vallecano boasted a 2-0 half-time lead.

Things went from bad to worse for Gabriel Calderon's men early in the second half, as Joaquin Larrivey effectively killed off the encounter by adding a third on 52 minutes.

Javi Chica reduced the arrears on 80 minutes, but it proved a mere consolation as Betis sit 10 points adrift of safety with just four games remaining this season.