Valencia vs BarcelonaPrediction, probable lineups, recent form & season stats

Valencia, 16th with a single point from three rounds, host Barcelona at the Mestalla, with the visitors top of LaLiga on nine points from nine. The Spanish league is averaging 2.93 goals per game, but the gap between the two attacks is stark: 1 goal scored by the hosts, 12 by their guests. Where Valencia stand Three matches, two defeats and a draw, with a single goal scored and four conceded. At home the side have drawn one and lost one without finding the net, while their only away trip ended in a 1-3 defeat at Deportivo La Coruna, which is also their most recent outing. Before that came a 0-1 home loss to Real Betis, a 0-0 with Celta Vigo, a 0-1 against Teruel and a 1-2 against Newcastle: they were kept off the scoresheet in three of those five games. Barcelona's rhythm Three wins from three, 12 goals scored and 2 conceded, with two home victories (7-2 combined) and one away win by 5-0. Their last five outings all ended in wins: 5-2 against Rayo Vallecano, 2-0 over Athletic Club, 5-0 at Elche, 2-1 against Al Ahly and 5-2 away at FC Basel 1893. The head-to-head record is more varied than the seasonal figures suggest: the most recent meeting, played in Valencia, finished 3-1 to the hosts, while before that Barcelona won 6-0 and 7-1 on their own ground and took a 0-5 and a 1-2 at the Mestalla. The prediction may change in the hours before kick-off. Confirmed line-ups, late injuries, suspensions, rotation ahead of other fixtures and the state of the pitch and the weather can all alter the picture described above. In those cases the selection may be reviewed and updated within 12 to 24 hours of the match: this happens rarely, but when it does, the version published on this page is always the current one. The data and assessments here are provided for information and statistical purposes.