Valencia welcome Girona to Mestalla on Saturday evening in a meeting that carries real weight at both ends of the table. Valencia sit 13th on 36 points from 32 matches, three points above the relegation zone, while Girona are 11th on 38 points and only two points better off.
Valencia have nine wins, nine draws and 14 defeats this season, and they go into the game after a 1-1 draw with Mallorca. That result followed two defeats in their last three matches, even as they try to secure another La Liga campaign after finishing 12th last season.
The home record gives Valencia some encouragement. They have 23 points from 15 league matches at Mestalla, while Girona have taken 16 points from 16 away league games and have not won on the road in the league since the middle of January. Girona arrive after a 3-2 home loss to Real Betis, although they did draw 1-1 away to Real Madrid on April 10.
The recent history between the sides is tight but slightly favours Valencia, who lead the head-to-head record six wins to five in 13 previous meetings. Only two of those matches have finished level, and 11 have come since January 2018. Girona won the reverse fixture earlier this season 2-1, while Valencia took the corresponding game last season 2-0.
Valencia’s team news points to another difficult afternoon. Mouctar Diakhaby, Dimitri Foulquier, Copete, Julen Agirrezabala, Thierry Correia and Eray Comert are all ruled out, but Umar Sadiq is expected to keep his place after scoring against Mallorca and Javi Guerra is set to start in midfield. Girona are also short-handed, with Juan Carlos, Donny van de Beek, Portu, Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Abel Ruiz and Vladyslav Vanat all missing. Girona are five points clear of the relegation zone and four points behind eighth-placed Real Sociedad, so a result at Mestalla would help keep their own late-season push alive.
The numbers suggest a narrow game rather than a comfortable one. Valencia need points to steady a season that has left them looking over their shoulder, and Girona need to end their away drought before the table tightens again.