Reigning La Liga champions Atletico Madrid will welcome Valencia to Wanda Metropolitano this weekend for another exciting fixture of the 2021/22 La Liga season.
Venue: Wanda Metropolitano
Key Statistics
Atletico Madrid have managed to find the back of the net in their last six La Liga games on the trot.
They have lost only one of their last 16 league home matches (W11, D4) and scored first in the last four of those games.
Valencia have failed to keep a clean sheet in seven consecutive matches in all competitions this season.
Jose Gaya’s red card against Sevilla was the fourth received by a Valencia player this season – the highest for a team in La Liga so far.
The visitors have lost just one of their last five away games in all competitions (W4).
Head to head
Atletico Madrid have a good record against Valencia and have won 22 out of 61 matches played between the two teams, as opposed to Valencia’s 20 victories.
The hosts are unbeaten in their last five matches against Valencia in all competitions and will look to extend their streak this weekend.
Latest performances in all competitions
Atletico Madrid: L-L-D-W-W
Valencia: D-W-L-W-W-L
Atletico Madrid
Atletico Madrid’s poor run of form continued with a disappointing 2-0 loss to Real Sociedad in the Copa del Rey on Wednesday night.
Goals from Adnan Januzaj and Alexander Sorloth gave Sociedad the win and sent Diego Simeone’s side crashing out from the competition.
The loss also extended their unbeaten run in all competitions to three games, showing how much the current La Liga title holders are struggling at the moment.
Their title defence is fading fast after winning just one of their last six league matches (D1, L4). They come into this round 16 points behind leaders and cross-city rivals Real Madrid and are currently battling to stay in the top four.
However, they are still a solid outfit at the Wanda Metropolitano, as they have lost only one of their last 16 league home matches (W11, D4). They are also unbeaten at home against Valencia since February 2011 (W8, D4).
They will fancy their chances of getting a win in this game, given their formidable record against their opponents.
Possible Atletico Madrid starting line-ups
Jan Oblak; Sime Vrsaljko, Felipe, Mario Hermoso, Remain Lodi; Thomas Lemar, Rodrigo De Paul, Koke, Yannick Carrasco; Angel Correa, Joao Felix..
Injured: Antoine Griezmann, Geoffrey Kondogbia, Stefan Savic,
Doubtful: Marcos Llorente
Suspended: None
Valencia
Valencia come into this tie on the back of a 1-1 draw with Sevilla in their last league outing.
Jorge Bordalas’ side went behind in the seventh minute after Mouctar Diakhaby had scored through his own net. But a goal from Goncalo Guedes a minute before the break saved Valencia, earning them their 29th point of the season.
Their total point haul sees them sit in ninth place, four points behind Atletico Madrid who are in fourth place.
A win in this game will cut the gap between them and Atletico to one point and could see them finish the weekend in the top seven.
However, they come into this game without a win against Atletico in over seven years and are also without a clean sheet in their last seven games in all competition. They will come into this game as the outsiders.
Possible Valencia starting line-ups
Jasper Cillessen; Daniel Wass, Mouctar Diakhaby, Omar Alderete, Thierry Correia; Yunus Musah, Guillamon, Uros Racic, Hugo Duro; Goncalo Guedes, Manu Vallejo.
Injured: Carlos Soler, Maxi Gomez, Helder Costa, Gabriel Paulista
Doubtful: None
Suspended: Jose Gaya
Prediction
Atletico Madrid 2-1 Valencia
