Athletic vs Valencia Prediction
🔊 Can the "Basques" solidify their position in the European competition zone by the end of La Liga's 35th round? One of the highlights of Sunday's La Liga action will be the clash between Athletic and Valencia at San Mamés. Recently, it was announced that Spain has secured a fifth spot in the Champions League, significantly boosting Ernesto Valverde's team's chances of qualifying for European competitions. Meanwhile, the "Bats" have created a slight gap from the relegation zone, but it's not enough to comfortably see out the season. Bookmakers are giving a threefold advantage to the home side.
Head-to-Head
📊 This season, the teams have clashed twice. In the national championship, the "Bats" emerged victorious at the Mestalla with a 2-0 win, while in the Copa del Rey quarterfinals, the "Basques" secured an away victory with a 2-1 scoreline. It's worth noting that Valencia's last away triumph over Athletic dates back to the 2019/20 La Liga season (1-0), when Denis Cheryshev's goal sealed the outcome. Let's highlight the average scoring rate for each side over their last 10 head-to-head encounters: the "Basques" average 1.2 goals, while the "Oranges" average 0.8.
H2H Stats Matches and Previous Teams Results
Athletic Bilbao Team Overview
🔴 In recent rounds, the Basques have slightly eased their path to securing a spot in European competitions. Currently, Athletic find themselves in 8th place in the league standings. Considering that Spain has five slots for the Champions League, finishing 7th now guarantees a place in the Conference League. It's worth noting the average performance metrics of the Basque side in this season's La Liga, scoring 1.18 goals per game while conceding 1.47.
⚪ In the last round of La Liga, Athletic secured an away victory against Alavés (4-2). Ernesto Valverde's team showcased exemplary efficiency in their attacking phases, with every shot on target resulting in a goal. The standout player was Nico Williams, who netted a brace. The Spanish coach is eager to leave Athletic on a high note, with four matches left to achieve that. Gorka Guruzeta is considered Athletic's top scorer in this La Liga campaign, with 9 goals in 31 appearances.
Match Results: Athletic Bilbao
Valencia Team Overview
🟠 For yet another season, the "Bats" find themselves battling to maintain their status in the elite tier of Spanish football. A mix of factors contributes to this struggle-uncertainties at the club's top level, financial instability, and a lack of clear development strategy. Currently, Valencia sit 12th in the league standings, but they are only three points above the relegation zone. Let's take a look at Carlos Corberán's team's average performance metrics-1.09 goals scored per game against 1.47 conceded.
⚫ In their last La Liga outing, Valencia fell to Atletico Madrid (0-2). This defeat once again highlighted several weaknesses within the "Bats." Chief among them are creative issues and an inability to break down compact defensive setups. Carlos Corberán favors a 4-4-2 tactical formation. On paper, this setup should provide defensive solidity and enable quick transitions from defense to attack through vertical passes. Hugo Duro stands out as the main attacking threat for the "Bats" this La Liga season, netting 9 goals in 32 matches.
Match Results: Valencia
Latest news
Athletic Bilbao
❌ Among Athletic's unavailable players for the upcoming national championship match, Beñat Prados stands out. It's worth noting that the Spaniard has returned to team training following a cruciate ligament tear, but he is not yet ready to participate in official matches.
Valencia
❌ Lucas Beltran is likely to miss the upcoming away match as he continues to struggle with knee issues. Valencia's goalkeeper Julen Aguirrezabala underwent knee surgery back in March, effectively ending his season. José Copete faces a similar situation, with the Spanish player unlikely to recover in time following his March surgery. The timeline for Thierry Correia's return remains undisclosed, as the Portuguese defender suffered a troubling muscle injury in late April. Mouctar Diakhaby has been unavailable since January, having undergone surgery and setting his sights on next season. Dimitri Foulquier finds himself in a similar predicament.
⚽ Goal Prediction
It's worth noting that in 5 of Valencia's last 7 matches, no more than two goals have been scored. A similar trend is evident in 4 of the last 5 head-to-head encounters between the Basques and the Bats. Both teams have shown less than stellar scoring stats: Athletic average 1.18 goals, while Valencia average 1.09. Therefore, a reasonable prediction would be to consider a total under 2.5 goals at odds of 1.88*.
🚩 Corner Prediction
Both teams excel in creating width and attacking from the flanks, as evidenced by their average corners this season: the Basques average 5.6, and the Bats average 5.1. A similar pattern emerges in their head-to-head clashes, with Athletic averaging 5.5 corners to Valencia's 4.3. The editorial choice is a total over 9.5 corners at odds of 1.8*.
*Odds are approximate and may vary across different bookmakers.
Editor's Prediction
Valencia are grappling with significant squad issues, forcing the coaching staff to resort to backup plans for various games. This is something Ernesto Valverde's team can easily capitalize on, especially with the home advantage playing in favor of the Basques. The Bats have not tasted victory at San Mamés for nearly seven years. Considering these factors, our editorial team predicts a final score of 2-0, with the key bet being a win for Athletic.
Betting Tips: Athletic Bilbao - Valencia
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Comparison of Teams Stats
Other predictions
