Barcelona vs Valencia predictions, H2H and match preview for this Saturday’s Copa del Rey Final. Read on for analysis and predicted line-ups as both sides look to end the season on a high.
DATE/TIME – Saturday 25th May 2019, 21:00 (Spanish Time)
STADIUM – Benito Villamarin
COMPETITION – Copa del Rey
#BarcaValencia
This match draws to an end the Spanish football season, at least at the very top level. Barcelona are bidding to complete a domestic double for the second season running but it also bizarrely feels as though they need to win this match just to salvage some credibility from the season, at least in the eyes of sections of their fanbase. Valencia meanwhile are hoping to get their hands on silverware for the first time in more than a decade and they will fancy they can cause an upset in Seville on Saturday.
Barcelona’s injury problems are a big reason for that. With no Luis Suarez and almost certainly no Ousmane Dembele, their lack of depth in attack is likely to be exposed again. That means one thing and one thing only. They will be very dependent on Leo Messi again here and if Valencia can somehow find a way to at least limit his influence, they stand every chance of finally ending Barcelona’s run of 4 straight Copa del Rey crowns.
Valencia will be in good spirits having secured Champions League qualification last weekend. That eases the pressure at least here as they have now achieved one of the three main things they were battling for heading into May. They were well beaten by Arsenal in the Europa League Semi-Finals though which suggests they still have work to do before they can be considered a ‘top team’.
They have caused problems for Barcelona this season and the sense that this Barca defence is vulnerable to pace will be given another serious examination here. Valencia are not short on speedy forwards and wingers and they will look to break with real venom and try to expose those frailties.
Barcelona vs Valencia Predictions
Score Prediction: 2-2 Draw
Barcelona ran riot in the Copa del Rey Final last season against Sevilla but this should be much, much closer. Messi aside, not one player in Barcelona’s likely starting XI scored more than 5 times in La Liga this season. Valencia will take great heart from that and also from their performance at Camp Nou earlier in the campaign when they had the Catalans on the ropes at one stage. Los Che are certainly capable of taking this to Extra Time but just for a change, the outcome may largely depend on Messi. If he has a rare off-day, Valencia could win this.
Barcelona vs Valencia H2H
- Last 6 meetings: 3 Barcelona Wins, 3 Draws.
- Both meetings this season in La Liga were drawn.
- Barcelona were 3-0 aggregate winners the last time the sides met in the Copa del Rey, in the last four last season.
- Valencia last beat Barcelona in 2015/16, winning 2-1 at Camp Nou in La Liga.
One to Watch – Goncalo Guedes
Gonçalo Guedes (Valencia): "Barça disheartened over UCL elimination? I don't think so. They're one of the best teams in the world, they have players with a lot of quality and a very good coaching staff." [marca] pic.twitter.com/1zsykWRoHp
— Faheem Hasnain (@Fahemmessi) May 23, 2019
Apart from Mr Obvious, Goncalo Guedes could be one of the key men in this game. With Valencia likely to play on the break, they will fancy Guedes can have the beating of Sergi Roberto or Nelson Semedo at right-back for Barcelona.
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Predicted Line Ups
Barcelona Team:
Cillessen – Semedo, Lenglet, Pique, Alba – Rakitic, Busquets, Vidal – Malcom, Messi, Coutinho (4-3-3)
Valencia Team:
Domenech – Gaya, Paulista, Garay, Piccini – Guedes, Parejo, Kondogbia, Soler – Rodrigo, Gameiro (4-4-2)
Preview via Daniel Garcia – Contact: daniel@laligaexpert.com
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