Valencia vs Barcelona prediction: SPAIN: LaLiga betting tips on match 2022-10-28 19:00.
Valencia failed to hold onto a lead last weekend as they slipped to a 2-1 defeat against Mallorca which extended their winless run to three matches (D2, L1) and left them clinging on to their top-half spot in La Liga (LL). Yet this is actually their best 11-game start to a league campaign since 2017/18, perhaps building belief they can end a three-season stint of finishing outside the top-eight.
Bouncing back from the Mallorca loss is crucial to maintain a long-standing record of having not lost consecutive top-flight home games since October 2016, though ominously the second of those came against Barcelona! There’s another record on the line here too, as Valencia have lost the last three LL H2Hs and could now lose four such matches for the first time since October 1994.
On a positive note, Valencia have scored in the last 14 LL H2Hs which is their best scoring streak against Barça in the competition's history. The visitors now appear well-placed to put an end to that run however, as Barcelona have kept an impressive nine clean sheets this campaign, which is the most of any team after the first 11 matches of a top-flight season.
After a disastrous UEFA Champions League campaign resulted in Barça’s demotion to the UEFA Europa League before they even kicked a ball on Wednesday, the 3-0 loss against Bayern Munich that followed almost certainly did little to lift the mood. Unsurprisingly, Xavi termed LL “the top priority” afterwards and nine wins across the last ten games (L1) at least offers hope that Barcelona can keep in touch with league leaders Real Madrid.
Players to watch: Valencia’s José Gayà has endured a turbulent career against Barça, assisting a personal-high four goals against them whilst also collecting five yellow cards. Meanwhile, Robert Lewandowski will undoubtedly be looking for a goal here and Barcelona have won all eight league games in which he has scored, seven of them ‘to-nil’.
Hot stat: Valencia have dropped a joint-league high nine points from leading positions this season.