Leganes vs Valencia Preview & Prediction | 2024-25 Spanish Primera
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Following promotion to the top-flight last season, Leganes had ambitions of continuing their fluent style of football but have found it difficult as they now prepare to take on the perpetual crisis club of La Liga, Valencia, at Butarque.
KICK-OFF DATE/TIME: Friday 4th October, 2024 - UK – 8:00pm / US ET – 3:00pm / US PT – 12:00pm
HOW TO WATCH ON TV: UK – Premier Sports / US – ESPN have the exclusive rights to La Liga games in the USA, so Leganes vs Valencia may be televised on one of their affiliated channels
HOW TO WATCH ONLINE: UK – Premier Sports / US – ESPN+
LEGANES PREVIEW: LACKLUSTRE LEGA
Keeping Borja Jimenez was one of the best bits of business that Leganes could have done this summer and they will, and absolutely should, continue to persist with the exciting coach but Lega are beginning this weekend’s round of fixtures sitting just outside of the bottom three and the relegation places.
The home team have managed just one victory in their opening eight matches of the campaign. The Madrid-based club come into this one on the back of back-to-back 1-1 draws in Madrid derbies against Rayo Vallecano and Getafe as they search for a way to finally and efficiently see teams off.
VALENCIA PREVIEW: VALENCIA FINDING A WAY
In what was expected to be another season of struggle after surviving on the final day of the 2022/23 campaign last year, Valencia managed to finish in the top-half of the table and even compete for a top seven finish that would have got them into the UEFA Europa Conference League.
This time around, though, under the management of former boss Ruben Baraja, the Valencians have started the season with just one win in their opening eight matches. The visitors come into this one on the back of a 3-0 hammering at the hands of Real Sociedad at the Anoeta with goals coming from Takefusa Kubo and then a brace from Orri Oskarsson.
LEGANES TEAM NEWS: COUPLE OF INJURIES
Midfielder Yvan Neyou is unavailable for Leganes this weekend with Borja Jimenez potentially able to welcome back Naim Garcia, albeit his return may be a bit soon for this weekend.
Performances have been strong in the last couple of weeks with an improvement in results with a couple of draws so there is no real need for Leganes to make too many changes this weekend.
PREDICTED XI (4-2-3-1): Dmitrovic; Rosier, Sergio, Nastasic, Hernandez; Cisse, Tapia; Cruz, Lopez, Altimira; Haller
UNAVAILABLE: Neyou (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE: Garcia (Injured)
VALENCIA TEAM NEWS: GAYA CLOSE TO RETURN
Club captain Jose Luis Gaya has been missing throughout this season due to a thigh injury but he is nearing a return, although a starting berth could come too soon for this weekend.
Experienced goalkeeper Jaume Domenech is unavailable for the Valencians alongside centre-back Mouctar Diakhaby with Rafa Mir still internally suspended due to the ongoing investigation into him as a result of allegations of rape.
PREDICTED XI (4-4-2): Mamardashvili; Foulquier, Tarrega, Mosquera, Vasquez; Lopez, Guillamon, Pepelu, Rioja; Guerra, Duro
UNAVAILABLE: Domenech (Injured), Diakhaby (Injured), Mir (Disciplinary)
QUESTIONABLE: Gaya (Injured)
LEGANES VS VALENCIA PREDICTION
Leganes have managed just one win so far this season but their performances have been quite a bit better than that thus far. The home team will be expected to take the game to Valencia this weekend with home advantage and playing against what does appear to be quite a fragile side. That said, Valencia’s fragility often comes and then they can put in a genuinely resilient performance so the best bet for this one would be to expect a low-scoring affair in the capital.
LEGANES VS VALENCIA TIP: UNDER 2.5 GOALS
