Barcelona take on the visitors Valencia in the round 4 match of Spanish LaLiga. The match will be played on Sunday, September 14th at Estadi Johan Cruyff (Barcelona).
Barcelona undeniably played excellent football last season. Yes, more was expected from them against Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League. But after losing to the experienced Italians, they managed to dominate domestically — and this came right after a trophyless campaign — which ultimately led to Hansi Flick being appointed. This summer they even seem to have strengthened further, especially with the loan of Marcus Rashford, despite the usual registration issues. Still, doubts have surrounded almost every match they’ve played. Even in the opening game against Mallorca, they only really took control after the opponent went down to ten men. Against Levante they conceded twice before halftime but staged a second-half remontada to win. And most recently they were held to just a draw by Rayo Vallecano. Flick’s side have collected only five points from their last three games and have failed to keep a clean sheet in any of them, which has raised concerns about their defensive stability. On the other hand, their attack has been productive, scoring eight goals across those three matches.
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Valencia risk slipping back into an unpleasant but familiar cycle. The Bats have not been relegated to the Segunda División, but they’ve come close several times — only saved by coaches who managed to stabilize the team. That was the case with Rubén Baraja, who, incidentally, was a key midfielder during the club’s golden generation. But even he ran into trouble last year. During the Christmas break, he was replaced by Carlos Corberán, who justified the buyout clause paid for him: not only did they escape the relegation battle, they finished well clear of it. Now, though, Los Che are struggling again. On the other hand, their only loss so far came against Osasuna — and that was affected by an early red card to José Gayà. They drew with Real Sociedad and crushed Getafe. However, their inconsistency in front of goal has been noticeable, with only five goals scored in their last four league games. Their away form is also a concern, as they have failed to win any of their last five league matches on the road.
Barcelona have won 9 of their last 10 meetings with Valencia, allowing just one draw back in late 2023. It’s hard to believe the Catalans will slip up twice in a row. At home against such a comfortable opponent, they should win with a -1.5 goal handicap.
Prediction for the match: Barcelona to win with -1.5 handicap.
