Valencia ended their four-match losing streak — but can they withstand Real Sociedad’s pressure? Valencia vs Real Sociedad prediction
The seventh-round La Liga clash between Valencia and Real Sociedad will take place on September 20 at Mestalla Stadium. The hosts have collected four points and sit 18th, while the Basque club has seven points and occupies 12th place.
Valencia: a long-awaited victory after four defeats
The team made an extremely difficult start to the season, suffering four straight defeats after an opening-day draw. In the last round, Valencia finally ended that run by beating Alavés 1-0 thanks to a late goal from Luis Rioja.
The victory should give the hosts a confidence boost, but their squad problems remain significant: Diego López, Mouctar Diakhaby, Umar Sadiq, César Tárrega and several other players are unavailable. Hugo Duro and Arnaut Danjuma are once again expected to shoulder most of the attacking responsibility.
Real Sociedad: two painful defeats in a row
Pellegrino Matarazzo’s team have lost their last two matches: first 0-3 to Atlético in the league, and then 1-2 to Bournemouth in the Europa League. After a relatively promising spell, the Basque side now need to quickly rediscover their rhythm.
Changes to the lineup are expected at Mestalla: Álex Remiro, Carlos Soler, Luka Sučić and Gonçalo Guedes could return to the starting XI. Mikel Oyarzabal has yet to score in seven competitive appearances this season, but he should lead the attack once again.
Match facts and head-to-head record
- Valencia had lost four consecutive La Liga matches before beating Alavés.
- Real Sociedad come into the fixture after defeats to Atlético and Bournemouth.
- The most recent head-to-head ended in a 4-3 Valencia victory, while the previous meeting at Mestalla finished 1-1.
Mestalla could witness another goal fest: Valencia vs Real Sociedad prediction
Both teams have been too inconsistent so far to confidently claim that either side holds the advantage. Valencia have gained an emotional lift from their first victory, while Sociedad possess enough attacking quality to respond.
Both sides have plenty of defensive problems, so this match could well produce a high-scoring affair. In an evenly matched contest, a score draw looks like the most logical outcome.
