Valladolid vs Valencia prediction: SPAIN: LaLiga betting tips on match 2023-01-28 13:00.
As a consequence of their 3-0 loss away at AtlĂ©tico Madrid in the last round, La Liga (LL) relegation contenders Valladolid began this gameweek with the joint-second longest losing streak of Europeâs five major leagues. Fran SĂĄnchez, Sporting Director of the club, joined colleague David Espinar in rallying around embattled manager Pacheta, loyally declaring âthere will be difficult moments and you have to be togetherâ.
However, it remains to be seen how much longer theyâll want to be together at the club after six defeats from their last seven LL games (W1). Yet their form against clubs in a similarly tricky position in the standings suggests they should fancy their chances of bouncing back against Valencia, because all but four of their 17 league points collected this season were against clubs in the bottom half of the table going into this round. But a 14-year H2H drought (W0, D5, L7) does indicate this could still prove a tricky assignment.
Valencia continue to demonstrate that they belong in the bottom half of the table, and their mid-table position of 12th belies the fact that they started this round just three points ahead of the drop zone after failing to beat two other clubs caught in that bottom half logjam: CĂĄdiz (L 0-1) and AlmerĂa (D 2-2). They come into this game with the potential disadvantage of having had to play a Copa del Rey quarter-final on Thursday evening, though thatâs a problem Valladolid surely would have wanted to have, too.
It was before that cup tie that manager Gennaro Gattuso was publicly pleading for a new midfielder âwho can play in all positionsâ, but with only two LL clean sheets since their 1-0 opening round win at home to Girona, perhaps Gattuso should be focussed on the defensive frailties that have contributed to the club winning just one of their last six LL games as pre-match favourites (D3, L2).
Key battle: It has been a miserable period for Valladolidâs veteran goalkeeper Jordi Masip, who has lost his last five competitive starts against top-flight opposition âto nilâ. He faces 35-year-old Valencia forward Edinson Cavani who is finding some vintage form on the road after scoring in two of his last three competitive away trips.
Hot streak: Often slow to get going, the first half has not been the highest scoring half in any of the last ten H2Hs.