Valencia vs Atletico Madrid preview, team news and prediction

After nearly three weeks without a game, Atletico Madrid will return to action when they visit Valencia at the Mestalla Stadium. Los Colchoneros were denied a game on Matchday Four of the 2023-24 La Liga campaign, where they were meant to face UEFA Europa League champions Sevilla. The match was postponed due to unfavourable weather.

After a two-week long international break, action returns in La Liga with Diego Simeone’s side playing host to Valencia in what promises to be one of the best games of the match week in Spain’s top-flight. You can still buy Valencia vs Atletico Madrid tickets for the game on Seatsnet but fans will need to act fast as the game is expected to be a sell out. Valencia and Atletico Madrid were quite at par as two of the league’s outside challengers for years before Los Colchoneros pulled away from Los Che.

Both sides have had very different starts to the season, with Atletico Madrid firing on all cylinders at the start of the season and Valencia stuttering on their own. The Madrid-based side won their last league match, a derby away to Rayo Vallecano, by 7-0. So much is made of Diego Simeone’s “defensive” brand of football, but his team sure does know how to score goals. Valencia lost their last game against Deportivo Alaves to an early own goal and will be keen to bounce back.

MATCH PREVIEW
Atletico Madrid recovered from a mid-season slump to finish the 2022-23 season strongly in La Liga, and they have started the new season in similar fashion. Simeone’s side have won two of their three games, only dropping points in a draw against Real Betis on Matchday Two.

Valencia, on the other hand, are in their worst spell in a long time. From a club that was a fixture in the UEFA club competitions in the late 90’s and early 2000’s, Los Che are now a side that are almost guaranteed a place in the relegation dogfight. They escaped the drop to the Segunda division by a whisker in 2022-23, and have looked just as unconvincing this season. After two surprising wins to start the season, results have evened out at the club with two defeats afterwards.

Many expected Valencia to struggle this season, and with good reason. They were not the most convincing side in La Liga in 2022-23, and their squad had gaping holes which needed to be filled with quality. Their financial troubles, however, have caused them to take a step back, as far as many are concerned, in their squad-building. They sold American midfielder Yunus Musah and let go of Edinson Cavani as a free agent. This was hardly the best way to go after finishing 16th in the league, their lowest league position since they actually got relegated in 1987. They failed to sign any high-profile players, preferring to sign only cheap players due to their finances.

Atletico Madrid invested into their squad this summer without paying a premium. They signed Premier League duo Cesar Azpilicueta and Caglar Soyuncu for free and added a number of other low-key signings to their squad. Having finished bottom of their UEFA Champions League group last season, Simeone’s men have now received reinforcements ahead of those gruelling European nights returning to the Wanda Metropolitano. Los Colchoneros did not change a lot after the conclusion of the 2023-24 summer transfer business.

Valencia boss Ruben Baraja will hope that the international break has given his players enough time to work together and possibly cause an upset against Atletico Madrid. The Spanish manager has not imposed a particular style of football for Los Che as they have become one of the league’s least exciting sides, losing key players every season. Valencia started the season with admirable wins over Sevilla and Las Palmas before losing to Osasuna and Deportivo Alaves, and they are now in 11th place in the standings. Atletico Madrid have scored ten goals in their opening three games, with Real Betis the only side to prevent them from scoring in their first three games of the season. Their last result, a 7-0 win over Rayo, is enough to send shivers down the spine of their opponents.

Los Che have not beaten Atletico Madrid in La Liga since 2014 and have lost five of their last six meetings with the side. They also lost at home last season by a single unreplied goal. Simeone’s side have had the upper hand in their meetings with Valencia in recent seasons, making them clear favourites to win the match again. Atletico Madrid will honour this encounter with an eye on the immediate future, as they have Lazio and Real Madrid as their next two opponents in the UEFA Champions League and La Liga, respectively.

PLAYERS TO WATCH
Atletico Madrid will have Antoine Griezmann on the pitch when they face Los Che in La Liga action on Saturday. The experienced Frenchman has played an important role for Los Colchoneros since returning from an unproductive spell at Barcelona. Griezmann has scored once this season for the side, but fresh from a Ballon d’Or nomination, the 32-year-old will be one of his side’s key players in Valencia.

Another Atleti player to keep an eye out for is striker Alvaro Morata. The 30-year-old has three goals in three La Liga matches this season and returns from an international break in which he notched a hat-trick for Spain. He will be a constant threat to Valencia in the game.

Valencia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili has been a shining light for the side since he made his debut. Linked with a move to Bayern Munich this summer, Mamardashvili remained in Valencia after a move did not materialise. He has kept one clean sheet this season and continues to impress for Los Che.

Captain Jose Gaya remains one of Europe’s finest left-backs with attacking and defensive contributions and has been a standout performer for Valencia. The Spain international will be key if his side are to get anything out of the game.

Valencia La Liga Form Guide: W W L L

Atletico Madrid La Liga Form Guide: W D W

TEAM NEWS

Atletico Madrid will be without several top stars, including Koke, Vitolo, Memphis Depay, Jose Gimenez and Reinildo Mandava. Diego Simeone has enough strength and depth in his squad to cover for these absentees, however.

Atletico Madrid Probable XI: Oblak, Molina, Azpilicueta, Witsel, Savic, Saul, De Paul, Llorente, Barrios, Morata, Griezmann.

Valencia will be without new additions Samu Castillejo and Gabriel Paulista for the match, and new signing Sergi Canos could make his full debut for the side.

Valencia Probable XI: Mamardashvili, Foulquier, Diakhaby, Ozkacar, Gaya, Correia, Guerra, Pepelu, Canos, Almeida, Duro.

Our Prediction: Valencia 0-3 Atletico Madrid

Atletico Madrid have had the upper hand in this tie in recent years and are unbeaten in nine years against Los Che. This encounter will not be any different as Los Colchoneros have too much quality in their squad for Valencia and will easily win the match.