Real Valladolid vs Valencia 22/12/19

22 December 2019

Encouraged by the midweek’s success in the Copa del Rey, Real Valladolid will be looking to find a way out of a severe crisis in La Liga (LL) when they take on Valencia at the Estadio José Zorrilla this weekend.

The hosts are enduring the most challenging period since the beginning of the season, having drawn a blank in all five of their previous LL outings, picking up just two points in the process (D2, L3). Valladolid’s recent goal drought is in line with their attacking output from their last two top-flight home H2Hs with Valencia, which have seen them draw a blank on both occasions and return one point in total (D1, L1). The Pucelanos have established themselves as one of the toughest teams in Spain’s top tier ever since returning to the top-flight, and their home games this season have been played out according to that reputation. All but one of their seven LL home games in the ongoing campaign have featured under 2.5 goals, with only two seeing both teams score. Also, for Valladolid, goals have been in short supply, as they’ve netted 2+ match goals in just two LL games played on home turf so far this term.

As for the visitors, they head to the José Zorrilla on a run of three successive league games without a loss (W2, D1), and another victory here might help them reduce a three-point gap on fourth-placed Getafe. Los Ches must be lining up another success here, as they’ve avoided defeat in all seven of their previous top-flight trips to Valladolid (W4, D3), shutting out the home side on five of those occasions. However, the Oranges have endured mixed fortunes in their last four LL road trips (W2, L2), with all of those results (win/loss) seeing the winners on the day come from behind to seal all three points. Also, five of Valencia’s eight LL away games this season have seen both teams score and produced over 2.5 goals.