Atletico Madrid is set to face Valencia in a La Liga matchday 34 clash on Saturday.
Atletico Madrid are currently in fourth position in the table with 60 points while Valencia are in 12th position with 39 points.
Valencia vs Atletico Madrid – Match preview and team news
- Date: Saturday, 2nd May.
- Kick-off: 3:15pm BST.
- Venue: Estadio de Mestalla, Valencia.
Valencia team news
Valencia enters the clash at Mestalla facing a significant defensive crisis, with manager Carlos Corberán forced to reshape his backline.
Defenders Mouctar Diakhaby, Dimitri Foulquier, Copete, and Thierry Correia are all sidelined, while starting goalkeeper Julen Agirrezabala remains a major doubt following a late fitness test.
Midfielder Filip Ugrinic is expected to be rewarded with a starting spot after a dominant display off the bench.
In attack, the spotlight is on Umar Sadiq, who has found a rich vein of form with two goals in his last two appearances; he is widely expected to lead the line over Hugo Duro.
Atletico Madrid team news
Atletico Madrid’s selection for this fixture is dominated by Diego Simeone’s need to balance domestic duties with a high-stakes Champions League semi-final against Arsenal.
Consequently, Simeone is expected to implement “wholesale changes,” leaving heavy hitters like Julián Álvarez, Alexander Sorloth, and José Giménez out of the traveling squad to ensure they are fresh for European competition.
The midfield is also stretched thin, with Pablo Barrios and Nico González unavailable due to thigh injuries.
However, the return of Thiago Almada from suspension provides a boost. This rotation opens the door for several academy prospects, including Javier Bonar and Rodrigo Mendoza, who are slated for starts in a 4-2-3-1 formation. While Jan Oblak is expected to remain in goal.
Form
Valencia
Valencia recently secured a vital 2–1 home win against Girona, breaking a three-match winless streak that included a draw with Mallorca and narrow losses to Elche and Celta Vigo. While their overall season has been inconsistent, they remain impressive at Mestalla, having won three of their last four home league matches.
Atletico Madrid
Atletico Madrid recently snapped a worrying four-match losing streak in the league with a hard-fought 3–2 victory over Athletic Club. Their attention is divided by the Champions League, where they most recently earned a 1–1 draw against Arsenal in the semi-final first leg. Despite their high ranking, Simeone’s side has struggled away from home this season, managing only four away wins across the entire campaign.
Predicted lineups
Valencia: Dimitrievski; Nunez, Pepelu, Tarrega, Gaya; Urginic, Guerra; Rioja, Beltran, Ramazani; Sadiq
Atletico Madrid: Oblak; Bonar, Le Normand, Lenglet, Diaz; Mendoza, Vargas; Morcillo, Baena, Almada; Belaid
How to watch Valencia vs Atletico Madrid?
In the UK, you can watch the Valencia vs Atletico Madrid match live on LaLigaTV.
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