La Liga | Gameweek 19

Jan 11, 2025 at 8pm UK

Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan

Sevilla vs Valencia

Match preview

Sevilla finished fourth in three successive seasons between 2019 and 2022, but have finished 12th and 14th in their last two campaigns and are again in the bottom half of the table after 18 games of 2024-25.

Last season's 14th-place finish was Sevilla's worst top-flight finish since they were relegated in 1999-2000, but new head coach Garcia Pimienta has also struggled to get the team going this term.

Los Nervionenses have won six, drawn four and lost eight of their 18 league games this term, picking up 22 points to sit 14th in the standings, seven points above the relegation zone.

Sevilla's last La Liga match ended in a 4-2 defeat at the hands of Real Madrid on 22 December, before they suffered a shock 4-1 defeat at the hands of Almeria in the last 32 of the Copa del Rey last time out.

However, the hosts have been relatively strong at the Estadio Ramon this season, picking up 16 points from nine games, and they will welcome a Valencia side who have yet to win a La Liga match on their travels in 2024-25.

Valencia go into the game on the back of a 2-0 win over Eldense in the Copa del Rey, and they will face Ourense CF next week for a place in the competition's quarter-finals.

However, Los Che opened their 2025 campaign with a 2-1 home defeat to Real Madrid in La Liga, with the reigning champions scoring twice late on to turn the game around and leave Valencia wondering how they could have lost.

Carlos Corberan's side currently sit in 19th place in La Liga, with two wins, six draws and 10 defeats from 18 games, giving them 12 points - the same as bottom side Real Valladolid.

It is not yet time to hit the panic button, with Valencia just four points behind 17th-placed Getafe after the same number of games, but there are real fears that Los Che could be relegated from La Liga for the first time since 1986-87.

Valencia won 2-1 at Sevilla in the same fixture last season, but three of the last five top-flight meetings between the two sides have ended in a draw.

Recent Performance

Sevilla La Liga form:LWDLWL

Sevilla form (all competitions):DWLWLL

Valencia La Liga form:LLLDDL

Valencia form (all competitions):LLDDLW

Team News

Sevilla welcomed back Adria Pedrosa from injury for the Copa del Rey clash with Almeria, but Kelechi Iheanacho, Djibril Sow, Chidera Ejuke, Rafa Mir and Tanguy Nianzou are all doubts.

Coach Garcia Pimienta will make changes to the side that started against Almeria, with Jose Angel Carmona, Alvaro Fernandez and Lucien Agoume all returning to the side.

Juanlu Sanchez played up front against Real Madrid in Sevilla's last league game and is expected to do the same this weekend, while Isaac Romero will also play in the final third.

Valencia are without Fran Perez, Jose Gaya, Mouctar Diakhaby and Thierry Correia through injury, but Pepelu is available after serving a league ban against Real Madrid.

Coach Corberan fielded a strong side against Eldense in the Copa del Rey and it will be a similar one here, but Andre Almeida, Luis Rioja, Yarek Gasiorowski and Enzo Barrenechea are all likely to feature.

Hugo Duro has scored five times in 15 La Liga appearances during the 2024-25 campaign and the Spaniard is set to start again in the final third on Saturday night.

Possible starting lineup

Sevilla possible starting lineup:

Fernandez; Carmona, Bade, Gudelj, Salas; Lukebakio, Agoume, Lokonga, Idumbo; Sanchez, Romero

Valencia possible starting lineup:

Dimitrievski; Foulquier, Tarrega, Mosquera, Gasiorowski; D Lopez, Guerra, Barrenechea, Rioja; Duro, Almeida