Valencia CF | SD Eibar |
Valencia CF is going to welcome SD Eibar the last placed team on the table at the Mestalla in what is going to be a relegation contenders battle. Yeah Valencia CF is technically safe from relegation at this point, but the team still has to prove that it is a level above these teams and the next two matches are a chance to prove that.
Even though Valencia CF lost last match against Sevilla FC the team played some really good football, defending very well and it was just one individual mistake that allowed for the goal to happen, with Ferro losing his mark and allowing him to setup and score the goal. Considering this was his first match in a very long time and against a very solid Sevilla side that is competing for the title this season it was an otherwise good performance except for that 1 mistake. Valencia CF also had chances to score, but none of the chances were converted into goals.
Voro has been a good influence on the team with two quite solid games overall against Real Valladolid and last week against Sevilla FC, in both of which Valencia CF defender very well, conceding only 1 goal in these two matches. Valencia CF has also created pleanty of chances on the counter attack, with Maxi Gomez being really efficient in front of goal against Valladolid, but becoming useless once against against Sevilla FC. The player just hasn't settled well at Valencia CF at all and I think he is the best candidate to leave, with some of the money from his sale maybe going into taking a risk on Cutrone, who unfortunately did not get many chances at Valencia CF to evaluate his play and his skill.
Maybe Voro can play him these last two matches, but I doubt that as he sat last two games out of the squad, so it would be a miracle to see him start in the remaining two matches, but anything is possible. With Gameiro's contract also expiring this summer and the club not planning to renew it, that would mean Valencia CF would be left with Manu Vallejo and Maxi Gomez as strikers, not a very formidable duo and if Maxi is sold then that leaves only Vallejo as the sole striker. Guedes does essentially play as a striker, but you'd still need a target man and a true striker to get in those deep positions and pull defensive players on him.
I think Voro is going to play most of the players from the Real Valladolid match, though I expect Ferro to still get the nod over Diakhaby if VCF is seriously considering to buy him, if not then Diakhaby would probably start. If VCF is considering Cutrone as a purchase then I expect to see him start here, if not then I think Manu Vallejo might get the nod over Maxi here.
Then finally it would be a choice between Lee and Musah, I think Lee has a bigger chance of starting, but Voro might want to give some minutes to Musah so we might see him start instead.
 Valencia CF | Stat name |  SD Eibar |
|---|---|---|
| 36 | Games | 36 |
| 46 | Goals | 28 |
| 52 | Goals lost | 47 |
| 25% (9) | Wins | 17% (6) |
| 25% (12) | Draws | 17% (12) |
| 42% (15) | Defeats | 50% (18) |
| 1.28 | Goals per game | 0.78 |
| 1.44 | Goals conceded per game | 1.31 |
| 6 (17%) | Clean sheets | 9 (25%) |
| 9.40 | Corners per game | 8.77 |
| 4.40 | Corners for per game | 5.11 |
| 5.00 | Corners against per game | 3.66 |
| 47.11% | Ball possession | 50.00% |
| 10.31 | Shots avg | 11.37 |
| 3.63 | Shots on goal avg | 3.37 |
| 2.34 | Offsides avg | 1.86 |
| 272.74 | Passes avg | 294.29 |
| 76.89% | Completed passes | 70.40% |
| 2.22 (80) | Yellow cards avg | 1.97 (71) |
| 0.14 (5) | Red cards avg | 0.08 (3) |
Valencia CF Squad: Cillessen; Paulista, Hugo, Ferro; Correia, Wass, Soler, Gaya; Kang-In, Guedes, Cutrone
Winning Probability: Valencia CF 55%, Draw 30% SD Eibar 25%
Result Prediction: Valencia CF 2-1 SD Eibar
I expect Valencia CF to win this match. The team is playing at home and for the first time in over a year with a small crowd assuming people will buy tickets and ignoring the boycott calls. So if there are 5k people in the stands that still is going to give the players a small morale boost. Valencia CF has been solid in defense under Voro so I don't expect them to outscore us, though they might sneak in one goal if VCF loses focus.