Valencia vs Ath Bilbao Prediction & Betting Tips (4 February)

Valencia is chasing redemption, and this Copa del Rey can be a gateway to the latter. Dumped as often in the 15th championship, the Ché club nevertheless remains reliable in the big posters of the national scene. In the previous round, the Blanquinegros offered Burgos a 0-2 victory, while in the 1/16th final, they had already faced a team from the 2nd division, in this case Sporting Gijon a 0-2 victory. In the league, last weekend, Carlos Corberan's men thought they would achieve a third victory in a row but they ultimately crashed on the Bétis pitch, losing 2-1. As a reminder, at home, the six-time Spanish champion allowed himself to take the 3 points against the Pericos of Espanyol Barcelona victory 3-2 in the wake of an important success at Getafe 0-1. Opposite, we set the table for the 24 times winner of this Copa del Rey, Athletic Bilbao. If the CV is qualitative for a team which has won more trophies than Atlético Madrid in its history, on the pitch, the reality is not as enjoyable.

Indeed, last weekend, hosting Real Sociedad in La Liga, Bilbao was not able to delight its supporters by hanging 1-1. The Lions have not roared for 5 days in the league including 2 successive defeats in Seville 2-1 and on the pitch of Mallorca 3-2. Worse still, the Basques were eliminated from the Champions League in the league phase following their final defeat at home against Sporting in the money-time 2-3. In this cup that he particularly likes, Bilbao was pushed back to its limits in the 1/8th final by Cultural Leonesa 3-4. This was already the case in the 1/16th final on the Ourense meadow, a 0-1 AP victory. 

3 elements of the defensive sector will be missing this evening, in this case the starting goalkeeper Agirrezabala (on loan from Bilbao), the central defender M.Diakhaby and the full-back T.Correia. On the other hand, for the rest, Valencia is moving forward with quite an armada, brought by offensive captain Hugo Duro (7 goals in La Liga), Umar Sadiq (permanently transferred from Sociedad), Luis Rioja, Almeida, Danjuma, Beltran as well as midfielders Pepelu and Javi Guerra without forgetting Ugrinic and captain José Gaya. No Nico Williams (4 goals, 2 assists in La Liga) this evening for Ernesto Valverde, the Spanish international will be out for 8 weeks due to his pubalgia.

Suspended for doping, Y.Alvarez will logically miss this game. Injured, Egiluz, Ben Prados, playmaker Oihan Sancet, central players Aymeric Laporte and Dani Vivian as well as Moroccan striker with an important role Sannadi should forfeit today. Boys like Inaki Williams, Berenguer, Guruzeta and Robert Navarro (4 goals in La Liga) will have to show themselves to help their team win and reach the semi-final.