When Barca meet Valencia tonight, it is again a kind of final match that Xavi and the players face after the defeats to Girona and Antwerp. Fortunately, the history books tell us that the Catalans have good experiences with Valencia.
Although Valencia are in a modest 11th place in La Liga before the start of the league’s 17th round, it is Xavi and the players who have their backs against the wall the most, as they are whipped to win the match, if the big alarm bells are not to start to call. However, you have to go all the way back to the year 2020 to find the last time Barca lost to the Valencia team.
Approx. 350 km. South of Barcelona, the Mestalla is located in the center of Valencia with space for approx. 55,000 spectators who are expected to be completely packed when Barca take to the turf on Saturday evening for the 17th round of games in the Spanish league. When the two teams meet, it is often a question of goal-rich matches with lots of intensity and warnings, and there is no indication that Saturday’s match will be any different.
Thus, the last five matches between the two teams have ended with 5 wins for Barca and a goalscorer of 12-4 in favor of the Catalans. At the same time, a total of 24 yellow cards and a single red card have been handed out, which Ronald Araújo received the last time the two teams met, which was at the Camp Nou.
While Barca have their problems to contend with, 11th-placed Valencia are 10 points clear of European football and 9 points below the relegation zone, so Ruben Baraja’s side need to create more distance to the bottom of the league.
For Barca, it is about Xavi creating calm in the defence, so that the many personal mistakes which have cost a lot in recent matches are eliminated. At the same time, the attack needs to get the goalscoring going, as it has struggled tremendously to take advantage of the chances that have been created.
The match will be played 21.00 (9pm)
