Barcelona are set to resume their La Liga campaign on Sunday night against Valencia. They are aiming to bounce back after dropping points against Rayo Vallecano. Hansi Flick’s men are currently sitting in fourth place in the league table with seven points. Meanwhile their visitors occupy ninth with four from three games.
This clash was initially expected to inaugurate the new Camp Nou. However, delays again with attaining permission means the match will be staged at the Johan Cruyff Stadium. With just 6,000 seats, the venue will make history as the smallest ground ever to host a top-flight Spanish fixture.
Flick is facing several injury concerns ahead of this contest. Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Gavi, Alejandro Balde, and Frenkie de Jong are all unavailable. Along with them, youngster Lamine Yamal has also been sidelined because of a groin issue. This could hand Fermin Lopez a chance to start.
Marc Casado is likely to partner up with Pedri in midfield. Dani Olmo is set to operate in an advanced role, supporting Ferran Torres, as Robert Lewandowski continues to be eased back from a hamstring problem. In defence, Pau Cubarsi and Gerard Martin are both pushing for starting spots.
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Valencia is heading into the game in good shape. There are no injury concerns reported in Carlos Corberan’s squad. That leaves the coach with plenty of options. Especially in attack where Arnaut Danjuma and Diego Lopez are pushing for starting roles after opening their scoring accounts this season.
Captain Jose Gaya is expected to continue on the left. Meanwhile, there have been ongoing transfer speculation around Javi Guerra but he still remains a key figure in midfield. After their emphatic 3-0 win against Getafe, Los Che will be eager to test the reigning champions away from home.
Barca and Valencia matches often see plenty of goals, especially when playing at home. Head-to-head stats over recent seasons show that roughly 45% of their meetings have gone over 3.5 total goals. In one recent La Liga match, Barcelona thrashed Valencia by a 7-1 margin. Barcelona scored five times in the first half alone, plus a couple in the second. Given Valencia’s tendency to concede at least a couple in these contests, a 4-goal or more threshold looks reasonable. Thus, the over 3.5 option at -105 makes sense.
Ferran Torres has shown he can be a dangerous presence up front for Barcelona, particularly against Valencia. In Barcelona’s 7-1 dismantling of los Che earlier this year, Torres scored and created multiple opportunities. He got on the score sheet alongside others. In the Copa del Rey, he bagged a hat-trick in a 5-0 win against Valencia. He scored one goal early and two more before halftime. That kind of form suggests betting on Torres to score at any time is a solid value at +105.
Pedri has been central to Barcelona’s creative output this season and constantly in past high-scoring games. He provided key assists and opened up spaces, particularly in the game where Barca routed Valencia 7-1, contributing directly to goals. Moreover, his role as a midfielder putting chances on the plate gives him a good chance to either score or assist. With Valencia’s defensive vulnerabilities, especially on the road, Pedri contributing to a goal at +110 seems worth backing.
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Barcelona registered multiple wins in past meetings between the two. They saw 9 wins and 2 draws in the last 11 games at home. Barca have shown both attacking threat and occasional defensive lapses. Considering Valencia’s recent form – a strong win against Getafe, but losses elsewhere – they might snag a goal, especially on the counter.
Barcelona’s recent dominance against Valencia, especially at home, suggests that they’ll likely win but still concede. The prediction is a 3-1 result. Barcelona may get on top with a strong first half, and Valencia scoring a consolation later on.
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