| Odds via 22Bet | |
| Valencia vs Barcelona | Saturday, 17 August, 20:30 GMT+1 |
| Valencia odds | 4.7 |
| Barcelona odds | 1.7 |
| Draw | 3.94 |
| Over\Under (Total Over 2.5) | 1.79/2.025 |
Valencia finally won in pre-season in their final match ahead of the La Liga kick-off, beating Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt (3-2). The win came after four pre-season matches without a win, with two draws and three losses.
The win before their home clash against last season’s runners up in La Liga will give Rubén Baraja and his charges a boost in confidence ahead of the clash in front of a charged Mestalla.
| Recent Form (Pre-season) | WLDLLD |
| Key Players to Watch | Pepelu and Guillamon |
| Team Strengths | A pragmatic approach that allows them to be solid while attacking in transitions. |
| Team Weaknesses | Valencia are unable to dictate the play and control possession, especially against teams like Barcelona that play on the front foot. |
Barcelona fell to a crashing 0-3 defeat at home against AS Monaco in the pre-season Joan Gamper Trophy. This was another hiccup in a topsy turvy pre-season campaign for Hansi Flick and his men, which has resulted in one win, two draws, and a loss.
Flick will hope to get his charges firing on all cylinders ahead of their trip to Valencia on opening weekend.
Specifically, getting Robert Lewandowski in potent form will be crucial for Flick, which will be central to their prospects of challenging for La Liga this season, starting with the trip to the Mestalla.
Barcelona newcomer Dani Olmo will miss the match due to not being registered in time. At the same time, the Catalans continue to be in talks over the transfer of Nico Williams.
| Recent Form (Pre-season) | LDWD |
| Key Players to Watch | Robert Lewandowski |
| Team Strengths | Dominant play in possession and attacking impetus. |
| Team Weaknesses | Frailties in defending transitions and counter-attacks. |
Last time Barcelona and Valencia met, the thrilling match ended in a 4-2 scoreline favoring the Blaugrana.
In their last five meetings, Barcelona have won four times, with the other match ending in a 1-1 draw. In this run of matches, the Catalan giants have scored 11 times and conceded four times.
The statistics show that Barcelona have the edge in this fixture, and Hansi Flick’s charges will look to extend this good run of form when the two sides go head-to-head on Saturday in the La Liga opener.
It will be defense versus attack in this clash. Football bet predictions on 22Bet suggest that Valencia will play on the back foot, prioritizing solidity and compactness. In contrast, Barcelona will play on the front foot and look to control the tempo and possession of the match.
For the visitors, Robert Lewandowski will lead the line as the Polish striker looks to pick up from where he left off last season. Lewandowski is likely to fight for the Pichichi this season, which means he will be one of the most important players for Hansi Flick this season.
In this clash, his cutting edge in the final third will be pivotal in converting the chances that Barcelona will create.
The hosts will adopt a defensive approach, which highlights the significance of their midfielders. The two players at the base of the midfield are likely to be Pepelu and Guillamon.
Our football predictions show that the pair will be essential for Valencia’s tactical approach, including protecting the back-four, ensuring the Valencia midfield is not overrun, and launching attacks during transitions.
It’s also worth noting that Barcelona still have a lot of injured players: Ansu Fati, Ronald Araújo, Pedri, Gavi. The return of Frenkie De Jong in doubt.
Valencia’s Rubén Baraja will stick with the traditional 4-4-2 approach, with one of the attackers dropping into midfield to add to the numbers. Los Ches will play with a low bloc to minimize the spaces and make it difficult for Barcelona to penetrate, especially down the middle of the pitch.
Barcelona’s football pick is the 4-3-3 formation ahead of the new La Liga season’s kick-off. Hansi Flick will look to dominate the midfield area, recycle possession, and use the wide players to stretch defenses and create chances.
Barcelona will also rely on the technical abilities of their players in tight spaces to control the ball, avoid transition attacks, and penetrate a low defensive block at the Mestalla on Saturday.
Hansi Flick’s men are tipped to start the season strongly at the Mestalla. Our football predictions analysis reveals that Flick will have his charges play on the front foot, and dominate the ball with pressing and counter-pressing when they lose the ball.
Valencia, on the other hand, are likely to be pragmatic in their approach even though they play at home. Their tactical regiment will pose a challenge for the Blaugrana. However, the Catalan giants will have enough to fire them to opening-day three points as La Liga gets underway on Saturday.
Barcelona have demonstrated in pre-season that they have the cutting edge in the final third. Under Hansi Flick, we underscore that they will retain their attacking impetus in their approach, which increases the chances for more goals in this match.
Valencia, although expected to be pragmatic in this clash on Saturday, will look to leverage the gaps left behind by the Blaugrana, especially in counter-attacks. They will be pacey and direct in their attacks, which will expose some of Barcelona’s frailties in transitions. The two sides’ approaches will make it so that multiple goals will be scored in this match, backing the proposed betting tip.
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