Valencia vs. Barcelona: Match Preview, Odds & Predictions

On Saturday night, Barcelona will face Valencia in the Mestalla, beginning a new era. Please scroll down to view our top La Liga predictions for this week.

Previous Matches and head-to-head

First up, we have the hosts. After finishing in the top half of their league last season, some Valencians may fantasise about a real shot at making it to Europe this season. Despite the Bats' eye-catching burst of activity to start 2024, Ruben Baraja's squad stumbled to a halt. Except for May 19th, when they were thrashed 3-1 by Girona, Los Ches were winless in their last seven. It will be fascinating to see matches. Just as Valencia earned a lousy reputation for field troubles, they might face a similarly harsh test when play starts on Saturday night. Since returning from March's international break, Baraja's team has gone winless at the Mestalla. In front of their fans, they have also managed only one point in their last four La Liga encounters.

While Barcelona may be starting a new era on Saturday night, the Spanish giants are enjoying life under new leader Hansi Flick, as far as the visitors are concerned. The former Bayern Munich manager hopes to orchestrate a severe push this season after his team finished 10 points behind their fierce El Clasico opponents in the championship pursuit last year. They won their last four La Liga matches before the summer break and surged to a silver medal, so Saturday's visitors will be looking to make a statement early on. They have won four games in a row against the Bats in La Liga, a streak that began with a 2-2 draw in December 2020 and continues with an exciting 4-2 triumph at Valencia's home field on April 29th.

Valencia x Barcelona Team News

Fran Perez, Moutcar Diakhaby, Jaume Domenech, and defensive ace Jose Gaya will all sit out Saturday's match for Valencia due to long-term injuries they sustained last season. The Bats' assault should be led by 27-year-old Rafa Mir, who arrived from Sevilla on a season-long loan deal this summer.

Much talk has been about Giorgi Mamardashvili leaving the Mestalla this summer, but he will start in goal for this club. Hugo Duro, who scored thirteen goals in La Liga last season and was named Valencia's Golden Boot winner, will play with Mir in the attacking third.

Ronald Araujo will miss Saturday night's match for Barcelona due to his recent hamstring surgery. He sustained a long-term injury when playing for Uruguay in the Copa America this summer. Pedri, a 21-year-old midfield dynamo, will also sit out the Mestalla match, even though he might return to first-team training later this month.

Although Dani Olmo was formally introduced to Barcelona last week after a reputed £51 million price, the Spanish international's successful registration has not been officially acknowledged. Even though 17-year-old wonder Lamine Yamal did not participate in Barça's preseason training, the next superstar will likely start here.

Our Predictions

Barcelona to win @ 1.75 on SKY247.ng

As the new era begins on Saturday night, Flick's new team will be looking to make a statement at the Mestalla in their inaugural weekend of competition. Barcelona is determined to build on their strong performance from May and make a severe championship push this season. Our money is on a road win this weekend for a team that won an exciting 4-2 matchup with Valencia in Catalonia on April 29th and has won 19 points in their last seven La Liga meetings against Saturday's hosts.

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