Atletico vs Valencia prediction, H2H and probable lineups - December 13, 2025
One of the matches of La Liga’s 17th round will take place on Saturday at the Civitas Metropolitano in Madrid, where the local side Atletico will host Valencia. Here’s my take on this clash, in which the Madrid giants will be looking to halt their recent La Liga slump and solidify their position in the top-four race.
Match preview
After stringing together seven consecutive wins across all competitions, Atletico suffered a painful setback, falling to both Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao in La Liga. These defeats cost them precious ground in the title chase, and now Madrid’s team sits fourth, nine points behind Barca. However, their midweek Champions League victory over PSV restored some confidence and gave them a much-needed breather.
Atletico’s home form remains particularly impressive—22 points out of a possible 24, the third-best record in the league. Valencia, meanwhile, has been a favorable opponent: Atletico beat them twice last season by an aggregate score of 6-0 and hasn’t lost to them at home since 2011. Despite injury concerns, the hosts look like clear favorites.
As for Valencia, the season has been tough for Los Che: 15 points from 15 rounds—a tally that keeps them closer to the relegation zone than to mid-table safety. Still, the team has started to find some rhythm, losing just one of their last seven matches. Their current four-game unbeaten streak in La Liga (one win, three draws) shows they can be a challenge even for stronger sides.
However, Valencia’s away form is a major concern—just three points from seven away matches and only four goals scored on the road. Meanwhile, Atletico have conceded just six goals at home all season. In this context, much will depend on Valencia’s focus and finishing in attack, where the absence of a consistent goal scorer remains an issue.
Probable lineups
- Atletico: Oblak, Molina, Pubill, Lenglet, Hancko, Simeone, Koke, Barrios, Almada, Alvarez, Sorloth
- Valencia: Aguirrezabala, Foulquier, Copete, Comert, Correia, Almeida, Pepelu, Gaya, Lopez, Duro, Rioja
Match facts and head-to-head
- Atletico defeated Valencia twice last season, both times with a 3-0 scoreline.
- Valencia has not won away at Atletico since February 2011.
- Atletico holds the third-best home record in La Liga by points earned.
Prediction
Given Atletico’s formidable home record and Valencia’s struggles on the road, an upset seems unlikely. Backing the hosts to win and score at least two goals looks like the logical bet.
