- Valencia have won 4, drawn 2 and lost 4 of their last 10 matches in all competitions.
- Celta de Vigo are unbeaten in 9 of their last 10 games (5 wins, 4 draws, 1 defeat) in all competitions.
Two clubs in transition
Los Che are in a bit of a rut and have failed to build any momentum at the Mestalla. They enter Saturday's game after back-to-back home defeats to Newcastle (1-2) and CD Teruel (0-1) and have won only two of their six games in front of their own fans in all of their current competitions (3 defeats, 1 draw). Carlos Corberán has his Valencia CF side set up in a high-intensity 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 that looks to press and play through the middle, getting the ball forward as quickly as possible. They will try to impose themselves on Celta early on, but the visitors are very solid on the road and their control will be tested. Os celestes are unbeaten in five away games in all of their current competitions, winning two and drawing three. They arrive for this game in good spirits after earning a 1-1 away draw against Napoli and then enjoying a 4-1 win over Sassuolo in midweek.
Celta’s control on the counter
Celta have a fluid style with a flexible, asymmetric shape and a counter-press that allows them to play on the front foot even when they're not in possession. Claudio Giráldez's men have conceded just five goals across their five away games in all of their current competitions, so there's little chance of this one getting out of hand.
Valencia are the slight favourites at 2.14, but Celta are a good value option at 3.4 and the draw at 3.25 also appeals. The visitors have won three of the last five meetings between the two clubs, while Valencia have won once and one has been drawn.
Celta can get some joy at Mestalla
Valencia's early press and high-intensity approach is a little more direct and carries more risk than Celta's, who play with flexible, asymmetric shapes and a sharp counter-press. If Valencia have a touch when Celta can counter, it will be a long afternoon for Los Che. Valencia have averaged 2.0 goals in the last 5 H2H meetings at the Mestalla, while Celta have averaged 2.0 away from home in the same 5 matches. That's why we're taking Under 2.5 goals at 1.65 for a tighter game than the oddsmakers expect and BTTS is a small two-way bet, with No at 1.83 and Yes at 1.91.
