Valencia vs Barcelona: predicted lineups, where to watch and the Lamine Yamal doubt
Today at 16:15 at the Mestalla: Barcelona are the only side still on maximum points, Valencia have one point from three games and six players out. Predicted lineups, where to watch and our read.
Valencia vs Barcelona is played today, Sunday 6 September, at 16:15 at the Mestalla, in matchday 4 of LaLiga.
On paper it is the most lopsided fixture of the round. Barcelona lead the table and are the only side still on maximum points: nine from nine, twelve goals scored and two conceded. Valencia sit eighteenth with one point from three games, one goal scored and four conceded.
The reason to watch anyway is one line of recent history: the last meeting at the Mestalla went to Valencia, 3-1.
Where to watch
In Italy the game is shown on DAZN, who hold the rights to the whole of LaLiga. Coverage differs by country, so check your local listing elsewhere.
The Lamine Yamal doubt
It is the question of the day and it should be put plainly: Lamine Yamal is not in the predicted eleven. He is not on the declared absentee list either, so it stays an open call until the official teamsheet an hour before kick-off.
We say so because it concerns us: one of our two individual calls is on him, and if he does not play that call has no run. We count it either way, as we count everything.
Who is missing
Valencia arrive the thinnest side of the round: out are Guido Rodríguez, Umar Sadiq, Dimitri Foulquier, Luis Rioja, Justin De Haas and Kayne van Oevelen. Six of them, across every department, which is why the side lines up with five at the back.
Barcelona are without Frenkie de Jong, Roony Bardghji and Jesse Bisiwu.
The predicted lineups
Valencia (5-3-2)
Stole Dimitrievski in goal; Pablo Maffeo, Arnau Martínez, Mouctar Diakhaby, Pepelu and José Luis Gayà at the back; Filip Ugrinić, Javier Guerra and Aliou Dieng in midfield; Hugo Duro and Ryunosuke Sato ahead.
Barcelona (4-2-3-1)
Joan García in goal; Eric García, Pau Cubarsí, Gerard Martín and João Cancelo behind; Marc Bernal and Pedri in the middle; Karim Adeyemi, Fermín López and Anthony Gordon behind Raphinha.
Predicted lineups can change until an hour before kick-off, when the official teamsheets are released.
Our prediction
We say Valencia to score no more than one goal. It is the read the numbers support best: one goal in three rounds, and at home the side has not scored at all, neither in the draw nor in the defeat.
On the result we do not commit, and that is not routine caution. The Mestalla against Barcelona is exactly where games turn awkward: the last one finished 3-1 to Valencia, and the gap in the table that day was every bit as wide.
The individual calls
Fermín López — at least 1 foul committed. In the predicted eleven he plays between the lines, which is where Valencia have to break the game up: when Barcelona lose the ball there, he is the first one back.
Lamine Yamal — at least 1 shot on target. This is the call tied to the doubt above. If he starts it is among the most direct of the round, because he is the man Barcelona look for most on the edge of the box; if he sits, we will say so openly in the end-of-round tally.
Then we count it
When the round closes we publish the tally with nothing removed — including calls on players who did not end up playing. The record of every settled one is in the results history.
Our analysis stays updated until kick-off on the LaLiga page, and the individual calls are in the Player Predictions section.
