Valladolid vs Girona prediction: SPAIN: LaLiga betting tips on match 2023-04-21 16:30.
Valladolid scored one of last Saturday’s most resounding shocks across Europe’s five biggest leagues, vanquishing top-four chasing Villarreal 2-1 to open up a five-point gap to the La Liga (LL) relegation zone. Aided by that victory, Valladolid have now scored as many goals (five) under new coach Paulo Pezzolano (W1, D1) as they did in the final seven games with Pacheta in charge.
However, the defensive issues seen in the previous Valladolid manager’s last game, highlighted by a 6-0 loss to Real Madrid, have only been diluted rather than extinguished. Because of Villarreal’s late consolation, Valladolid are currently without a clean sheet in eight matches (W2, D2, L4), while conceding multiple second-half goals in each of the last three games drawn or lost.
There are certainly no defensive issues for Girona, who after keeping a maiden clean sheet against runaway leaders Barcelona at the sixth ever attempt, dispatched bottom club Elche 2-0. In turn, they sit just five points shy of seventh place – and possible UEFA Europa Conference League football next term – ahead of a weekend that could see them complete a run of three straight LL shutouts for the first time since March 2018.
Girona’s heroic 0-0 draw at Camp Nou was made all the more surprising by the fact it’s their only LL clean sheet away from home this season! MĂchel’s men had also conceded multiple goals in each of the four road trips prior (W1, D1, L2), with both defeats contributing to a pre-round away league high of four match openers conceded inside 15 minutes.
Players to watch: That might inspire the likes of Selim Amallah, who netted less than 120 seconds into Valladolid’s victory over Villarreal last weekend. A day later, Girona’s Taty Castellanos opened the scoring against Elche, making it two headed match openers out of his previous three goals.
Hot stat: Valladolid are the only side yet to score or concede inside the first 15 minutes of a home league game this term.