There is no action from the UEFA Champions League or Europa League this midweek, giving schedulers of Europe’s top competitions a chance to fill the void. The Spanish La Liga provides three games on Tuesday, including Sevilla v Valencia which is the focus of this article. Our team of football experts preview the game, highlighting any relevant injury news or form before offering our final predictions. Our team aims to arm readers with the knowledge needed to make a well-informed prediction on this exciting match that will be shown live on television.
Real Madrid finished the weekend back in pole position in La Liga, despite heavy pressure from nearest rivals Barcelona. Sevilla can be found down in 14th following an inconsistent run of results, while Valencia is seventh and remain unbeaten in their last four games. There’s all to play for here as both teams aim to land the three points needed to boost their chances of making it into the top four and qualifying for next season’s Champions League. Will Sevilla use the home advantage to pick up a win, or will Valencia pile pressure on their hosts with an away win?
These teams met twice last season on La Liga detail, with both teams finding the net at least once in those matches. Sevilla won 3-1 here last September and was good enough to take a point from their trip to Valencia in January, with the second match ending 1-1. Interestingly, three of the last four games involving Sevilla and Valencia have produced two or more goals, and armchair fans hope this latest clash measures up.
Sevilla bagged an overdue win
It has been a difficult opening few weeks to the season for Sevilla fans after they watched their team stumble out of the starting blocks. The home team prepared for this match with their stats for the campaign showing two wins and three draws against four defeats, with nine goals scored and 14 conceded. The nine points gained means Sevilla head into this midweek home match knowing they are just two points above Almeria and the relegation zone. Defeat in this match could see them sucked even closer to the bottom three.
Their current lowly position can be blamed on a dreadful start, with Sevilla losing four of their first seven games. Things do appear to be moving in the right direction again, though, and supporters have reason to be confident. If Sevilla can maintain the efforts shown in their last five outings, they will likely climb towards the prize places sooner rather than later. There is an air of optimism in the camp, and no one connected to the team will be panicking just yet. They know time is on their side, and this squad is good enough to pull clear.
The home team has lost just one of their last four matches, with their form in that period showing one win, two draws and a defeat. They were last seen in action at the weekend when bagging what was their second win of the campaign thanks to a 1-0 away to Mallorca. The goal that mattered that day was scored by Gudelj early in the second half, and although a one-goal lead is always fragile, it was enough to save the points on that occasion.
Visitors unbeaten in four
While their hosts have been having problems with recovering from a slow start, those camped inside the away dressing room arrive in great form. Valencia started the week in seventh, with their stats for the season showing four wins, two draws and three defeats, scoring 16 goals and conceding 10. Their last four matches consist of two wins and a pair of draws, meaning the visitors arrive in great shape. That should make for an interesting match.
Unbeaten in their last four games, Valencia has 14 points on the board, which places them just five behind Real Betis, who currently sit fourth and are in the running for a Champions League finish next year. That’s the goal for this Valencia side, and if they can maintain the high standards shown by the team so far while ironing out one or two problems, there’s every chance they can challenge for a top-four finish. That would rate as a great season for a team that was never expected to challenge for the title but have the quality to compete.
We last saw the away team in action on Saturday when they were held to a 2-2 draw at home by a hard-working and competitive Elche. That was a match Valencia was expected to win, and they did have the chance to turn one point into three, but at the final whistle, a share looked to be a fair result. Two goals from Cavani were matched by a pair of strikes from Milla, which was a fascinating contest. It would have been a shame to see any of the teams lose that match.
Sevilla v Valencia prediction
Sevilla enjoys the home advantage for this match, and they are probably just a little more in need of the points than their opponents. Although we already know it’s not the team that needs the points that always gets them. More often, it’s the team that deserves the points. Sevilla is capable of scoring goals and will be a danger to their opponents from the first whistle. But they are also suspect at the back, and that leaky defence could prove to be their undoing.
Valencia is the form side of the two ahead of this contest, but will that become obvious in the result? Three points for the visitors would lift them onto 17 points and level with Athletic Bilbao in sixth, edging them closer to European football. A competitive match lies ahead, but Valencia is confident they have what it takes to win.
La Liga odds
The pre-match betting odds attached to this fixture by 22bet have Sevilla trading at 2.23 with Valencia 3.17 and the draw 3.46.
Make sure to bet on Sevilla v Valencia with 22Bet!