The club competed in the Champions League final in 2001 and won La Liga in 2003, however, they have failed to reach those heights since. They are now in danger of going down for the first time since 1986.
Peter Lim’s 2014 takeover of Valencia offered hope to fans. The Singaporean billionaire has very deep pockets, but has failed to make a splash at Los Che. The fans have protested against the owner this season and the atmosphere around the club remains toxic.
La Liga Outright Market | Odds |
|---|---|
Valencia To Be Relegated |
Odds courtesy of BetWinner. Correct at time of publishing and subject to change.
Peter Lim’s Fruitless Ownership
Valencia hold at least one game in reserve compared to their relegation competitors, yet their recent performances are certainly cause for concern. They are currently five points from safety, so they will likely need to win their next three matches to avoid going into the winter break in the bottom three.
Ruben Baraja’s side were beaten by Rayo Vallecano at the Mestalla in their last game. Valencia kept 61% possession in that game and finished with 0.37 more xG than their opponents. Their finishing ability could prove a significant factor in their survival.
The ownership situation has only added to the turmoil at the club. Protests against Peter Lim have become commonplace in Valencia. The team have steadily regressed under the billionaire.
During the initial five seasons under Lim's ownership, they secured a top-four finish three times, but have since lost their footing. The team have frequently been in midtable with the occasional relegation battle, however, this could be the year where they go down to the second tier.
Damning Statistics in Attack and Defence
Valencia have picked up just two wins in 14 league matches this season. Both of those victories have come at the Mestalla, the most recent of which was a 4-2 win over Real Betis on November 23rd. Los Che have played seven league games on the road, earning just two points.
Pressure is growing on Ruben Baraja with his team struggling to create chances. They are scoring an average of just 0.93 goals per game, the third lowest in La Liga. That’s 0.18 goals fewer than Valencia scored per match in the 2022/23 season.
During that season, they narrowly escaped relegation by a mere two points, having won four and drawn three of their final ten games. The underlying data doesn’t offer any encouragement. Valencia’s average xG of 0.87 per league game is the second-worst in the division.
Los Che have conceded an average of 1.57 goals per La Liga game, which is in line with their xGA of 1.48 per game. They have kept just three clean sheets all season, so this is something the manager will have to remedy if he is to remain in the role.
Their opponents on Friday, Valladolid, have won just two of their 16 league matches. The team’s last home win came against Espanyol on the opening weekend of the season. They have recently sacked Paulo Pezzolano but Alvaro Rubio is still waiting for his first win as caretaker boss. However, Valladolid did manage to beat Valencia 1-0 in this fixture last season.