Valencia vs Athletic Club — Tips & Analysis

Under 2.5: This game has been a slow, careful one for years. Valencia and Athletic have averaged almost 2 goals a game across their last 20 meetings. Athletic are not the side to change that right now. Their last three games finished 0-0 at Rayo, 0-0 with Alaves and 1-1 with Elche. Only 3 of their last 10 games reached 3 goals or more, and they score a goal a game. They also travel to Mestalla without Nico Williams and Sancet. Laporte and Berenguer are short of fitness too, so most of their attacking spark is missing. Valencia sit 19th and have won one of their last seven home games, scoring less than a goal a game there. They need points far more than they need a shootout. They have let in almost 2 goals a game, so they will not throw bodies forward either. A 1-1 looks the most likely score, which is exactly the kind of quiet night we want. Both sides have more to protect than to chase. The risk is Valencia's own habit of messy games, with 6 of their last 13 reaching 3 goals or more. Their defending has been loose enough that one early goal could open the whole thing up. We still expect a tight, low scoring game.