La Liga's basement side Valencia will be aiming to record just their third league success of the 2024-25 campaign when they welcome Real Sociedad to Mestalla on Sunday night.
Valencia have only picked up 13 points from their 19 league matches during a difficult season, while Real Sociedad are up in seventh spot in the La Liga table, two points behind sixth-placed Mallorca in the race for Europe.
Match preview
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Only Real Madrid (36), Barcelona (27), Atletico Madrid (11) and Athletic Bilbao (eight) have won La Liga on more occasions than Valencia throughout history, with Los Che lifting the trophy six times, including as recent as 2004.
However, this season, the team are facing being relegated from the top flight for the first time since 1986, with a disappointing campaign to date leaving them bottom of the La Liga table, boasting just 13 points from 19 matches.
Los Che only have two league wins to their name this term, drawing seven and losing 10 of their other 17 matches, although it is not yet time to hit the panic button, with only four points separating them from 17th-placed Alaves, and there is a lot of football to be played.
Carlos Corberan is now in charge, and there have been positive signs under the new head coach, who has won two, drawn one and lost one of his four matches, with the two successes coming in the Copa del Rey.
Indeed, Valencia booked their spot in the quarter-finals of the Spanish Cup with a 2-0 success over Ourense CF last time out, while they picked up a welcome point away to Sevilla in the league last weekend, but the six-time Spanish champions have not been victorious in Spain's top flight since November 23.
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Real Sociedad are also present in the final eight of the Copa del Rey courtesy of their 3-1 success over Rayo Vallecano on Thursday night, while they beat Villarreal 1-0 in La Liga last weekend.
Imanol Alguacil's side have started 2025 with three straight wins in all competitions, and they will continue their league season against Valencia on Sunday before switching their attention to the Europa League, facing a trip to Lazio next week.
The Basque outfit are 12th in the Europa League table, boasting 10 points from six matches, so they are in a strong position when it comes to potentially progressing to the knockout round of the competition.
Real Sociedad have struggled for consistency in La Liga this season, but a total of 28 points from 19 matches has left them up in seventh spot, only two points behind sixth-placed Mallorca, but they are eight points off fourth-placed Athletic Bilbao.
La Real have won each of their last three league games against Valencia, while they have only been beaten in one of the last eight top-flight encounters between the two sides, which was a 1-0 reverse at Mestalla in February 2023.
Team News
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Valencia will be without the services of Mouctar Diakhaby and Thierry Correia on Sunday evening, while Eray Comert and Fran Perez both face late fitness tests before their involvement can be determined.
Head coach Corberan made a number of changes in the Copa del Rey, but the team's big-hitters will be back for this one, including Javi Guerra and Hugo Duro, with the latter scoring five times in La Liga this term.
Umar Sadiq was on the scoresheet last time out, with the 27-year-old recently arriving at the club on loan from Real Sociedad, and he is available to face his parent club this weekend.
As for Real Sociedad, Alvaro Odriozola and Hamari Traore will miss the match through injury, while Jon Aramburu is suspended.
Head coach Alguacil named a strong side in the Copa del Rey against Rayo, and it is expected to be largely the same side here, with Spain international Mikel Oyarzabal set to continue through the middle.
Sergio Gomez netted off the bench against Rayo and is likely to be introduced, though, while there should also be starts for Brais Mendez and Aritz Elustondo, with the latter expected to benefit from Aramburu's suspension.
Valencia possible starting lineup:
Mamardashvili; Foulquier, Tarrega, Mosquera, Gaya; Guerra, Barrenechea; Rioja, Almeida, D Lopez; Duro
Real Sociedad possible starting lineup:
Remiro; Elustondo, Zubeldia, Aguerd, Munoz; Kubo, Mendez, Zubimendi, Sucic, Gomez; Oyarzabal
We say: Valencia 1-1 Real Sociedad
There have been positive signs from Valencia of late, and despite their struggles at home this season, we are expecting Los Che to be good enough for a share of the spoils, with Real Sociedad potentially being made to settle for a point.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Matt Law
