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What: La Liga BBVA, Matchday 17
Who: Valencia (4th, 30pts) - Atlético Madrid (3rd, 30pts)
When: Saturday 3 January, 2200 CET
Where: Mestalla, Valencia
Valencia welcome Atlético Madrid to the Mestalla on Saturday evening in arguably the biggest game of the weekend in La Liga. Los Che will be keen to begin the New Year on a high, forgetting the fact that they have won just one of their last three matches, whilst their visitors are on an unbeaten run that stretches back to mid-October and both teams will be desperate to stay in the top four…
Che Comeback
Valencia might have had a miserable first-half of 2008 but they certainly turned things around in the second-half of the year, finishing on a high in fourth place in the league. Bear in mind that the previous season they finished in 10th, and it is easy to see just what an impressive job new coach Unai Emery has done in his short spell in charge. The former Almería man might not have added many players to his squad, but he has certainly instilled a winning attitude, and one which sees them alive in all three competitions in the New Year.
In La Liga they got off to a flying start, and led the way for much of the season, but lately they have been derailed slightly, most notably by some poor home defeats. First Racing Santander stunned the Mestalla as they thrashed their hosts 4-2, and then in the next home match Sporting Gijón took up the mantle and beat them 3-2. Add to that the fact that Real Betis had them on the edge, but were eventually beaten 3-2, and lowly Espanyol went ahead, only to have a man sent off and lose 2-1, and this game against Atlético becomes a little more daunting for Los Che.
However, the hosts will be no doubt be up for this match, and with Emery in charge they should be mentally prepared, as well as physically. The only worry is that, against the bigger teams, they have struggled this season, as was predicted early on, and have picked up just one point from their three matches against Real Madrid, Barcelona and Sevilla. The good news is that they should be able to call on the fit again David Silva, who missed nearly all of the second-half of last year due to injury, and he will be confident of tormenting the susceptible Atlético full-backs. If Silva and Joaquín can do just that then Valencia will have a decent chance of winning this match, especially considering the fact that the man they are likely to be feeding their balls to is ‘El Guaje’, David Villa.
Team Spirit
Whilst Valencia powered through the first part of the season and laboured nearer to Christmas, Atlético Madrid did exactly the opposite, as they showed remarkable determination to come back from a poor start. The capital side were at one point as low as eighth in the table, and after been beaten by Sevilla, Real Madrid and Barcelona, many considered their title charge at an end. Whilst that may well be true, with the Catalan juggernaut marching on each week at the top, they have bounced back, and are undefeated in the league since their loss to arch-rivals Real Madrid in mid-October.
The only frustration for them is that they couldn’t pick up all three points against some of the smaller teams, such as Numancia and Osasuna, but coach Javier Aguirre will still be pleased with the progress. Much like Valencia, they are also still in all three competitions they started the season competing for, and they will be hoping 2009 follows on from where they left off in 2008.
The worrying news for Atlético is that whereas Valencia have struggled at home recently, they have struggled away from the Vicente Calderón all season, winning just three times, and losing twice. Their win against Espanyol in the final match of last year was certainly a good result, but the fact they conceded twice, and could have let in more, shows their defensive frailties still exist. Up front is where they really excel though, and whilst Vicente declared this week that his side do not envy the attacking foursome of Atlético, there is no doubt they could pay if they don’t keep track of the quartet all night.
FORM GUIDE
Valencia
Dec 20 Real Madrid 1-0 Valencia (La Liga)
Dec 13 Valencia 2-1 Espanyol (La Liga)
Dec 06 Barcelona 4-0 Valencia (La Liga)
Nov 30 Valencia 3-2 Real Betis (La Liga)
Nov 22 Sevilla 0-0 Valencia (La Liga)
Atlético Madrid
Dec 20 Espanyol 2-3 Atlético Madrid (La Liga)
Dec 14 Atlético Madrid 2-0 Real Betis (La Liga)
Dec 09 Marseille 0-0 Atlético Madrid (Champions League)
Dec 06 Sporting Gijón 2-5 Atlético Madrid (La Liga)
Nov 30 Atlético Madrid 4-1 Racing Santander (La Liga)
TEAM NEWS
Valencia
The New Year should bring with it just a second start of the season for winger David Silva, who has come off the bench in the last two matches following his return from injury.
Elsewhere, Carlos Marchena is suspended after getting sent off in the Bernabéu, and with Alexis injured and Iván Helguera released, Hedwiges Maduro could well replace the Spaniard at the back.
Apart from that Unai Emery is likely to stick to nearly the same team that narrowly lost to Real Madrid, although with Nikola Zigic now gone, there will probably be a fresh face on the bench.
Probable Line-Up (4-2-3-1): Renan – Miguel, Albiol, Maduro, Moretti – Albelda, Fernandes – Joaquín, Baraja, Silva - Villa
Atlético Madrid
After a slight injury scare to both Sergio Agüero and Maxi Rodríguez in the week, the former will play at the Mestalla, but Maxi will be left in Madrid with muscle problems.
Along with the Argentine international, Javier Aguirre will also be without Maniche, and instead will play Raúl García and Luis García.
Probable Line-Up (4-4-2): Leo Franco – Perea, Ujfalusi, Heitinga, Pernía – Luis García, Raúl García, Assuncao, Simao – Forlán, Agüero
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Valencia
Valencia might have been a team reborn this season but there is no doubt that they have missed David Silva at times, and the fans will be delighted to see him return to the side. If he starts, or if he comes off the bench early in the second-half, he will be a menace for the Atlético Madrid defence with his direct running and great ball control. It might take him some time to gel back into the side properly but there is no doubt that with him on one side and Joaquín on the other side of the pitch, David Villa should get plenty of good passes to feed on.
Atlético Madrid
Diego Forlán might not have grabbed many headlines this season but there is no doubt that he has been getting the job done up front for Atlético. Whilst he has hasn’t lived up to the high standard set last year he has grabbed ten goals, making him the clubs' top scorer, and recently he has begun to find some good form. The fact that around him he has quality players in the shape of Simao, Maxi Rodríguez and Sergio Agüero, means he should always get service, and his finishing could be key on Saturday evening.
PREDICTION
With both sides knowing that only a win would guarantee they remain in the top four, and above Real Madrid, after the weekend’s action, the stakes are certainly high at the Mestalla. Both sides will be hoping for a fresh start to the New Year but the end of the previous year could well be an indicator as to which way this match will go. Atlético have been in impressive form, and whilst Valencia are a decent side, they have been a little inconsistent, meaning that the visitors could pick up all three points on Saturday evening.
Valencia 1-2 Atlético Madrid
Who: Valencia (4th, 30pts) - Atlético Madrid (3rd, 30pts)
When: Saturday 3 January, 2200 CET
Where: Mestalla, Valencia
Valencia welcome Atlético Madrid to the Mestalla on Saturday evening in arguably the biggest game of the weekend in La Liga. Los Che will be keen to begin the New Year on a high, forgetting the fact that they have won just one of their last three matches, whilst their visitors are on an unbeaten run that stretches back to mid-October and both teams will be desperate to stay in the top four…
Che Comeback
Valencia might have had a miserable first-half of 2008 but they certainly turned things around in the second-half of the year, finishing on a high in fourth place in the league. Bear in mind that the previous season they finished in 10th, and it is easy to see just what an impressive job new coach Unai Emery has done in his short spell in charge. The former Almería man might not have added many players to his squad, but he has certainly instilled a winning attitude, and one which sees them alive in all three competitions in the New Year.
In La Liga they got off to a flying start, and led the way for much of the season, but lately they have been derailed slightly, most notably by some poor home defeats. First Racing Santander stunned the Mestalla as they thrashed their hosts 4-2, and then in the next home match Sporting Gijón took up the mantle and beat them 3-2. Add to that the fact that Real Betis had them on the edge, but were eventually beaten 3-2, and lowly Espanyol went ahead, only to have a man sent off and lose 2-1, and this game against Atlético becomes a little more daunting for Los Che.
However, the hosts will be no doubt be up for this match, and with Emery in charge they should be mentally prepared, as well as physically. The only worry is that, against the bigger teams, they have struggled this season, as was predicted early on, and have picked up just one point from their three matches against Real Madrid, Barcelona and Sevilla. The good news is that they should be able to call on the fit again David Silva, who missed nearly all of the second-half of last year due to injury, and he will be confident of tormenting the susceptible Atlético full-backs. If Silva and Joaquín can do just that then Valencia will have a decent chance of winning this match, especially considering the fact that the man they are likely to be feeding their balls to is ‘El Guaje’, David Villa.
Team Spirit
Whilst Valencia powered through the first part of the season and laboured nearer to Christmas, Atlético Madrid did exactly the opposite, as they showed remarkable determination to come back from a poor start. The capital side were at one point as low as eighth in the table, and after been beaten by Sevilla, Real Madrid and Barcelona, many considered their title charge at an end. Whilst that may well be true, with the Catalan juggernaut marching on each week at the top, they have bounced back, and are undefeated in the league since their loss to arch-rivals Real Madrid in mid-October.
The only frustration for them is that they couldn’t pick up all three points against some of the smaller teams, such as Numancia and Osasuna, but coach Javier Aguirre will still be pleased with the progress. Much like Valencia, they are also still in all three competitions they started the season competing for, and they will be hoping 2009 follows on from where they left off in 2008.
The worrying news for Atlético is that whereas Valencia have struggled at home recently, they have struggled away from the Vicente Calderón all season, winning just three times, and losing twice. Their win against Espanyol in the final match of last year was certainly a good result, but the fact they conceded twice, and could have let in more, shows their defensive frailties still exist. Up front is where they really excel though, and whilst Vicente declared this week that his side do not envy the attacking foursome of Atlético, there is no doubt they could pay if they don’t keep track of the quartet all night.
FORM GUIDE
Valencia
Dec 20 Real Madrid 1-0 Valencia (La Liga)
Dec 13 Valencia 2-1 Espanyol (La Liga)
Dec 06 Barcelona 4-0 Valencia (La Liga)
Nov 30 Valencia 3-2 Real Betis (La Liga)
Nov 22 Sevilla 0-0 Valencia (La Liga)
Atlético Madrid
Dec 20 Espanyol 2-3 Atlético Madrid (La Liga)
Dec 14 Atlético Madrid 2-0 Real Betis (La Liga)
Dec 09 Marseille 0-0 Atlético Madrid (Champions League)
Dec 06 Sporting Gijón 2-5 Atlético Madrid (La Liga)
Nov 30 Atlético Madrid 4-1 Racing Santander (La Liga)
TEAM NEWS
Valencia
The New Year should bring with it just a second start of the season for winger David Silva, who has come off the bench in the last two matches following his return from injury.
Elsewhere, Carlos Marchena is suspended after getting sent off in the Bernabéu, and with Alexis injured and Iván Helguera released, Hedwiges Maduro could well replace the Spaniard at the back.
Apart from that Unai Emery is likely to stick to nearly the same team that narrowly lost to Real Madrid, although with Nikola Zigic now gone, there will probably be a fresh face on the bench.
Probable Line-Up (4-2-3-1): Renan – Miguel, Albiol, Maduro, Moretti – Albelda, Fernandes – Joaquín, Baraja, Silva - Villa
Atlético Madrid
After a slight injury scare to both Sergio Agüero and Maxi Rodríguez in the week, the former will play at the Mestalla, but Maxi will be left in Madrid with muscle problems.
Along with the Argentine international, Javier Aguirre will also be without Maniche, and instead will play Raúl García and Luis García.
Probable Line-Up (4-4-2): Leo Franco – Perea, Ujfalusi, Heitinga, Pernía – Luis García, Raúl García, Assuncao, Simao – Forlán, Agüero
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Valencia
Valencia might have been a team reborn this season but there is no doubt that they have missed David Silva at times, and the fans will be delighted to see him return to the side. If he starts, or if he comes off the bench early in the second-half, he will be a menace for the Atlético Madrid defence with his direct running and great ball control. It might take him some time to gel back into the side properly but there is no doubt that with him on one side and Joaquín on the other side of the pitch, David Villa should get plenty of good passes to feed on.
Atlético Madrid
Diego Forlán might not have grabbed many headlines this season but there is no doubt that he has been getting the job done up front for Atlético. Whilst he has hasn’t lived up to the high standard set last year he has grabbed ten goals, making him the clubs' top scorer, and recently he has begun to find some good form. The fact that around him he has quality players in the shape of Simao, Maxi Rodríguez and Sergio Agüero, means he should always get service, and his finishing could be key on Saturday evening.
PREDICTION
With both sides knowing that only a win would guarantee they remain in the top four, and above Real Madrid, after the weekend’s action, the stakes are certainly high at the Mestalla. Both sides will be hoping for a fresh start to the New Year but the end of the previous year could well be an indicator as to which way this match will go. Atlético have been in impressive form, and whilst Valencia are a decent side, they have been a little inconsistent, meaning that the visitors could pick up all three points on Saturday evening.
Valencia 1-2 Atlético Madrid
