The Spanish Cup quarter-final match between Valencia and Athletic Club will take place on 4 february at Mestalla stadium. Valencia vs Athletic Club: prediction, betting odds and statistics.
Valencia
Valencia have passed four tournament stages, but have not yet faced any La Liga opponent. Moreover, as early as the second round of the Spanish Cup the team ran into problems: in the match against Cartagena the club could not win in regulation time and secured victory only after extra time. However, before that there was a routine demolition of Maracena (5:0), and in two winter rounds the team beat Sporting Gijón and Burgos by identical scorelines of 2:0. Reaching the quarter-finals can be called a routine event, as the side has gone this far 4 times in the last 5 seasons. It is worth noting that Valencia is an eight-time winner of the national Cup, with the last triumph coming in 2019.
- In 4 matches since the start of the current Spanish Cup campaign the team has conceded only 1 goal.
- The home side's uncompromising run in this tournament spans 15 games (10 wins, 5 defeats).
- At least 2 goals have been scored in 8 of the team's matches in the Spanish Cup.
Potential Valencia Lineup (4-4-2)*
Stole Dimitrievski – Dimitri Foulquier, Eray Cömert, José Manuel Copete, José Luis Gayà – Filip Ugrinic, Pepelu, Arnaut Danjuma, Luis Rioja – Lucas Beltrán, Hugo Duro.
Goalkeeper Julen Agirrezabala, as well as defenders Thierry Correia and Mouctar Diakhaby, are unavailable due to injury. The participation of another defender, José Manuel Copete, is in question.
Athletic Club
Athletic Club, as one of the clubs that finished in the top four last season of La Liga, began its cup run in the round of 32. The team also did not meet representatives of La Liga in earlier rounds, but that did not help avoid tight battles and extra time. Against Ourense and Cultural Leonesa the club advanced only after 120 minutes. In the second match Athletic Club secured victory in an entertaining shootout that finished 4:3. The club has reached the quarter-finals of the national Cup in 6 of the last 7 seasons. During that period the side managed to win the trophy, defeating Mallorca on penalties in 2024. Overall Athletic Club has won the Spanish Cup 24 times, second only to Barcelona (32).
- The team did not win in regulation time in 4 of the previous 5 Spanish Cup matches (3 draws, 1 defeat).
- The club has been winning with a +1.5 handicap over 24 games in this tournament.
- At least 2 goals have been scored in 9 of the side's last 12 matches in the Spanish Cup.
Potential Athletic Club Lineup (4-2-3-1)*
Unai Simón – Jesús Areso, Aitor Paredes, Adama Boiro, Yuri Berchiche – Mikel Hauregizar, Alejandro Rego – Nico Williams, Unai Gómez, Alex Berenguer – Gorka Guruzeta.
Due to injuries the team will be without defenders Daniel Vivian and Unai Ehilus, midfielders Oihan Sancet and Beñat Prados, and forward Maroan Sannadi.
Valencia vs Athletic Club: Match Prediction
Both sides have now reached the late stages of the Spanish Cup, but each will face a La Liga opponent for the first time in this season's competition. Previously, playing as favourites, Valencia regularly scored at least 2 goals per match. It is true that in the round of 64 the second goal came only during extra time, but overall the team scored at least once in regulation in 23 of its last 24 Spanish Cup matches. In the last 9 home matches in this tournament Valencia failed to score only against Barcelona.
Athletic Club unexpectedly failed to score in 90 minutes in the round of 32 match against Ourense, but in the next stage, away to Cultural Leonesa, the club produced three goals in regulation and one more in extra time. Scoreless games are rare for the side: even excluding extra time, the team scored in 11 of the previous 13 cup matches. Looking at away form, Athletic Club found the net in regulation in 5 of its last 7 Spanish Cup away matches.
It is quite likely that the meeting between Valencia and Athletic Club will feature an exchange of goals.
Prediction: Both teams to score
* For each team the starting lineup given is from their previous match.
