Barcelona head to Valencia to start their La Liga campaign after finishing second last season a whole 10 points behind Real Madrid. Valencia themselves come into this season after finishing ninth last year, with a really poor final run of form that saw them go out with a whimper.
Match Preview
Valencia
Valencia Recent Form
Valencia ended last season on a disappointing note, failing to win any of their final seven La Liga matches.
Despite a promising start, their form dwindled, particularly at home, where they couldn't secure a single victory after March.
This inconsistency could be a concern as they face a strong Barcelona side who have aspirations of chasing for the title.
Valencia Injury News
Valencia will be missing several key players due to ongoing injury issues from last season.
Fran Perez, Moutcar Diakhaby, Jaume Domenech, and captain José Gayà are all sidelined.
New signing Rafa Mir is expected to lead the attack, while Giorgi Mamardashvili will continue as the first-choice goalkeeper despite some ongoing transfer rumours.
Barcelona
Barcelona Recent Form
Barcelona closed last season with an impressive run, winning their final four La Liga matches and finishing as runners-up behind Real Madrid by 10 points.
The team is looking strong under new manager Hansi Flick, and they'll be eager to start the season with a statement win.
Barcelona Injury News
Barcelona will be without Ronald Araujo, who is recovering from hamstring surgery, and Pedri, who is still working his way back to fitness.
There are also registration issues with new signing Dani Olmo, which might delay his debut.
Youngster Lamine Yamal, however, is expected to feature after an extremely impressive Euro 2024 tournament.
Player To Watch
Valencia Player To Watch
Hugo Duro, who was Valencia’s top scorer last season with 13 goals, will be crucial for their hopes going forward.
His partnership with Rafa Mir could be vital if Valencia is to break through Barcelona's back line.
Barcelona Player To Watch
Ferran Torres could play a key role, especially in the absence of Araujo and Pedri.
His ability to create chances and score goals will be essential for Barcelona to maintain their attacking threat this season as they hope to push Madrid right to the end for the title.
Prediction
Barcelona's strong end to last season and their superior head-to-head record against Valencia make them the favourites heading into this opening match of the season. Valencia’s injury issues and poor home form towards the end of the 23/24 season only adds to Barcelona's advantage, and I can see Barca being pretty dominant here.
My Prediction: Valencia 1 - 3 Barcelona
Betting Angle
Torres is currently 9/4 to score anytime for Barca on SkyBet, which seems pretty plausible. The side also scoring over 2.5 goals comes in at 8/11, which again males sense and aligns with my 3-1 prediction for the away side.
