With both teams having made unbeaten starts to the season in Spain, Valencia’s meeting with Atletico Madrid on Saturday afternoon could well be one of the clashes of the campaign so far. Both teams will be looking to apply pressure on both Barcelona and Real Madrid throughout the season, with the duo among the teams two have taken the La Liga title away from them in recent years.
Valencia vs Atletico Madrid
Spanish La Liga – Mestalla, Valencia – Saturday 9th September – 13:15 UK Time
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Draw Best Odd of: 11/5 at Ladbrokes |
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Valencia
Atletico MadridMatch Preview
Valencia and Atletico Madrid both sit on four points coming into this clash, having both claimed valuable results away from home before the international break. Now, the duo will be hoping to maintain their unbeaten starts to the season, with encounters between two of Spain’s most successful clubs known for their excitement.
Valencia Team News & Form
Only a late equaliser from the home side denied Valencia from registering a win against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu last time around, with manager Marcelino Garcia hoping to claim all three points as they take on another team from the Spanish capital. New signings Geoffrey Kondogbia and Jeison Murillo should retain their positions in the starting line-up for the home side, while youngsters such as Carlos Soler and Jose Gaya continue to impress. Meanwhile, having signed from Manchester United on transfer deadline day in Spain, Andreas Pereira could well make his debut for the club, having impressed whilst on loan at Granada last season. Having narrowly defeated Las Palmas on the opening weekend of the campaign at the Mestalla, Valencia will be hoping to turn their home ground into something of a fortress after years of disappointment.
Atletico Madrid Team News & Form
Having salvaged an opening round point against Girona, Atletico Madrid produced a fantastic performance to crush Las Palmas 5-1. With Atletico still waiting on the completion of their new stadium, they will hit the road for their third consecutive away fixture, with an encounter with Valencia set to give Diego Simeone’s men their biggest test so far. The Argentine manager signed a new long-term contract just a matter of days ago, with the former midfielder hoping to celebrate in style with a win at the Mestalla. French superstar Antoine Griezmann should return to the starting line-up following suspension, with an otherwise familiar looking team taking to the field. Spanish internationals including Koke and Saul Niguez ensure that the visitors can challenge anyone on their day.
Head to Head
As two of Spain’s biggest names, the two teams have met many times over the years, with little separating the duo when it comes to their head-to-head record. Atletico have 15 wins from their 37 encounters, while this weekend’s home side have registered 11 successes. However, it was certainly Atletico that got the better of their rivals last season, winning the two games with an aggregate score of 5-0.
Betting Odds and Predictions
In terms of betting markets, odds on wins for either team are appealing, with the home side backed at 11/4 with William Hill, while the same bookmaker offer customers odds of 21/20. If recent encounters are anything to go by, goals are almost a given at the Mestalla on Saturday, making backing there being more than 2.5 goals worth considering, with 10Bet providing odds of 11/10 on this market.
Top Betting Tip
Our top betting tip for the match is to bet on both teams to score, which can be found at best odds of 4/5 at Ladbrokes.