Atletico Madrid versus Valencia La Liga Betting Lines, Schedule, and Forecast
Play time! The final match of Round 3 in the 2022-23 Spanish La Liga brings us Valencia versus Atletico Madrid. Both teams are siting pretty with three points each, but their records read 1-0-1 (W-D-L). Neither squad's performances this season have been too impressive, but hey, it's still early days!
Here's what makes this game so darn intriguing: Valencia and Atletico Madrid share a rich history that spans decades in the top Spanish flight. Atletico Madrid has had the upper hand in recent years, with Valencia yet to celebrate a single win against them in their last 15 duels.
Can Valencia finally break the curse?
Odds and Sods
- Moneyline: [Value here]
- Goals Over/Under: [Value here]
When, Where, and How to Watch
- Date: Monday, August 29
- Time: 4:00 PM ET
- Location: Estadio de Mestalla in Valencia
- Broadcaster: ESPN
Valencia's Anemic Scoring Woes
Last season, Valencia managed to score 48 goals and ranked as the 8th most productive team in La Liga. Their star Portuguese striker, Gonçalo Guedes, netted 11 of those goals, but he's since moved to Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Valencia brought in Samu Castillejo from AC Milan to fill the void, but he's yet to find the back of the net. In fact, only one Valencia player has scored this season – Carlos Soler, who scored from the penalty spot in their first game against Girona.
Valencia won that match, but then lost 1-0 to Athletic Bilbao. They dominated that game but lacked precision in front of the goal – not a single one of Valencia's 10 goal attempts made its way towards the opposition net.
Atletico's Defense Hangs Tough
Atletico Madrid is renowned for their rock-solid defense, but they've experienced some fitness issues with key defenders over the past couple of weeks. José Maria Giménez, the team's best defender and arguably one of the best center-backs on the planet, missed the season opener against Getafe due to tonsillitis.
Apart from that, Mario Hermoso was also dealing with fitness concerns, causing coach Diego Simeone to position defensive midfielder Axel Witsel in the center-back role against Getafe. Despite the change, Atleti successfully secured a 3-0 win. However, in their second game of the season, things didn't go as smoothly – they lost 2-0 to Villarreal.
Center-back Stefan Savic suffered an injury in that match, which might keep him sidelined for the match against Valencia. Gimenez should be fit for the match, but the same can't be said for Savic. Furthermore, wingback Nahuel Molina will be suspended since he received a red card in the closing minutes of the last game.
Prediction: Valencia vs Atletico Madrid
We're putting our money on Atletico Madrid to emerge victorious. Their defensive prowess tends to pose challenges for Valencia's strikers, who've been struggling to find the back of the net recently. We expect a relatively low-scoring affair, perhaps ending in a 1-0 win for the visitors.
Picks: Atletico Madrid to win; under 2.5 goals
- The upcoming Valencia vs Atletico Madrid match on August 29, 2022, at the Estadio de Mestalla in Valencia, promises an intriguing encounter as both teams aim to improve their standing in the 2022-23 Spanish La Liga.
- Given their past performances and the current standings, this match is a significant test for Valencia, who are yet to secure a win against Atletico in their last 15 meetings.
- Fans of sports, football, and European-leagues can tune in on ESPN to watch theValencia vs Atletico Madrid match on Monday, August 29 at 4:00 PM ET.
- As the teams prepare to face off, the question remains: Can Valencia finally break their losing streak against Atletico Madrid? It might be difficult given the visitors' solid defense and Valencia's current anemic scoring woes, making a 1-0 win for Atletico Madrid a potential prediction for this match.
