This weekend, the 22nd matchday in the Spanish La Liga takes place. At the end of Saturday’s programme, Atlético Madrid and Valencia compete against each other in a classic match at 21:00. The fourth-placed team receives the ninth-placed team at the Estadio Wanda Metropolitano, with the Colchoneros and the Ches collecting 33 and 29 points respectively. However, the home side played one championship match less.
For Atlético Madrid, it is the first championship match in a fortnight. The reigning champions last drew 2-2 at Villarreal on 9 January. Before that, Diego Simeone’s team managed their only win in six league games with a 2-0 at home to city rivals Rayo Vallecano. This was followed by defeats in the Supercopa semi-final against Athletic Bilbao and on Wednesday in the Copa del Rey at Real Sociedad.
Now the Rojiblancos face a team that is looking for its first league win of the new year in the Atlético Madrid vs. Valencia clash. José Bordalás’ side, who had a tough win at third division side Atlético Baleares last weekend, lost to Espanyol and Real Madrid. Then they drew 1-1 at home against Sevilla on Wednesday.
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What speaks for Atlético Madrid?
- Won three of their last four home games
- Always played to nil in these three matches
- Blew a 3-1 lead in injury time in their first meeting of the season
- Their opponents conceded goals in all of their last seven league games so far
What speaks for Valencia?
- Their opponents lost six of their last eight competitive matches against league rivals.
- Netted in all of their last seven league games so far
- Showed morale in their first match of the season, overturning a 1-3 deficit just before the final whistle
Our betting tip:
- Bet: Valencia over 0.5 goals
- Bookmaker: Betway
- Odds: 1.85
Expert analysis Atlético Madrid
For the home side, Atlético Madrid vs. Valencia comes three days after a 2-0 away defeat to Real Sociedad in the round of 16 of the Copa del Rey. Although the Rojiblancos were playing at their neighbours in the table with the same number of points, Simeone spared some of his stars. Moreover, as is well known, cup competitions are governed by their own laws.
However, this does not change the fact that the reigning champions lost for the sixth time in nine matches against league rivals. The fifth of those defeats came the previous week in the Supercopa in Saudi Arabia, with Atlético Madrid losing 1-2 to Athletic Bilbao in the semi-finals. The Leones are in tenth place with one point less than Valencia.
In La Liga, Atlético Madrid have been unbeaten twice in a row after four straight defeats. Firstly, the Colchoneros beat seventh-placed city rivals Rayo Vallecano 2-0 at home in their first appearance after the Christmas break. There, Simeone’s team won for the third time in four championship home matches without conceding a goal. The other side of the coin is that the Colchoneros lost their penultimate home game so far, a month earlier against fifth-last-placed RCD Mallorca 1-2. They then drew 2-2 at Villarreal, who picked up the same number of points as Valencia, on 9 January, where Atlético Madrid did not play to nil for the sixth time in seven La Liga appearances.
Geoffrey Kondogbia was the tragic hero of the game. The defensive midfielder scored the final goal in the 67th minute and then received two yellow cards between the 71st and 90th minutes. Kondogbia is thus suspended for the Atlético Madrid vs. Valencia clash against his former club. Moreover, Simeone will definitely have to do without Antoine Griezmann. Additionally, Ángel Correa and Marcos Llorente are doubtful. On the other hand, Stefan Savic is available again after recovering from an injury.
Expert analysis Valencia
In contrast to Atlético Madrid, Valencia played in the last 16 of the Copa del Rey last weekend. José Bordalás’ team scored a 1-0 win at third division side Atlético Baleares. Three days later, the Ches drew 1-1 at home to second-placed Sevilla in the 21st round on Wednesday. This time the visitors fell behind early due to an own goal by Mouctar Diakhaby and scored the final goal just before the break through Gonçalo Guedes.
With this, the southern Spaniards ended a negative series of two defeats in time for the clash Atlético Madrid vs. Valencia. After a 1-2 loss at home to eleventh-placed Espanyol, the Bats suffered a 1-4 defeat at leaders Real Madrid.
The loss to Espanyol snapped a winning streak of three championship games in a row. Bordalás’ team first won 2-1 at twelfth-placed Celta de Vigo as well as at home against 15th-placed Elche. Then, just before Christmas, a 4-3 win at last-placed city rivals Levante. Including a 1-1 draw at home to Rayo Vallecano at the end of November, both teams scored in all of Valencia’s last seven league appearances to date.
The Ches are certain to be without the suspended José Gayà and the injured Gabriel Paulista. Additionally, Jasper Cillessen is doubtful. In contrast, Maxi Gómez, Carlos Soler and Koba Koindredi are expected to return to the team.
Head-to-head comparison Atlético Madrid – Valencia
The first Atlético Madrid vs. Valencia match in La Liga 2021/2022 took place on 7 November and ended in a 3-3 draw. This match will be remembered for a long time. Because: The visitors this time equalized a 1-3 deficit in injury time thanks to a double strike by Hugo Duro. Last season, the Colchoneros celebrated a 1-0 away win and a 3-1 home victory against the Ches.
Our betting tip and the best odds
With neither Atlético Madrid nor Valencia spoilt for success recently, we would leave three-way bets out of the equation. Both teams scored in all the visitors’ last seven league games so far, with the Bats netting even against the top duo of Real Madrid and Sevilla.
The capital club played to a nil against Rayo Vallecano in their last home game so far, but they did so only against their city rivals in their last eleven games against first division teams. And in early December, they lost 2-1 to RCD Mallorca at the Estadio Wanda Metropolitano in their penultimate league match to date.
Atlético Madrid vs. Valencia – betting tip: Valencia over 0.5 goals, odds of 1.85 at bookmaker Betway
