CARLOS CORBERÁN TURNED VALENCIA'S FATE AROUND: WILL SADIQ MAKE LEAGUE HISTORY?
Valencia CF - Sevilla FC
April 11th, 2025
A clash between two traditional Spanish clubs will be offered on Friday evening at the Mestalla stadium. Valencia and Sevilla will conclude the 31st round of LaLiga with a match that could have historical overtones. If the match ends in a draw, Los Che would record three consecutive draws against the Andalusian club for the first time in history.
Valencia has had difficulties against Sevilla recently. Of the last 11 mutual league matches, they have managed to win only once (5 draws, 5 losses), in August 2023 under the leadership of Rubén Baraja with a result of 2-1. The last two duels ended in a draw, and after January's 1-1 draw at the Nervión stadium, Valencia could draw with this opponent in both matches of one season for the fifth time in history, the first time since the 1992/93 season, when Guus Hiddink and Carlos Salvador Bilardo sat on the teams' benches.
Sevilla has been feeling at home at the Mestalla stadium in recent years. The Andalusians have scored points in each of the last six away matches against Valencia in LaLiga (2 wins, 4 draws), which is their longest unbeaten series at this opponent's ground in the history of the top competition. They last lost here in October 2017 under the leadership of Eduardo Berizzo (0-4).
However, Valencia is experiencing a rise in results. They haven't lost any of their last five league matches (3 wins, 2 draws), winning the last two. If they don't lose now either, they would reach six league duels without defeat for the first time since April 2022 (then 3 wins, 3 draws).
On the contrary, Sevilla is in crisis. They have lost their last three league matches, which is their worst series of consecutive defeats since May 2024, when under the leadership of Quique Sánchez Flores they failed in the last four rounds of the season.
Sevilla's defense has problems with fouls in the penalty area. This LaLiga season, the Andalusians have already caused six penalty kicks, which is the most since the 2018/19 season, when there were seven (also six in the 2020/21 season).
The transformation of Valencia under the leadership of Carlos Corberán is remarkable. Since his arrival on the bench in January 2025, the team would rank fifth in the table with their results, with 22 points from 13 matches (6 wins, 4 draws, 3 losses). In comparison, between August and December 2024, Los Che were second to last with only 12 points, at the same level as the last-placed Real Valladolid (2 wins, 6 draws, 9 losses in 17 matches).
Valencia striker Umar Sadiq has scored two goals in four league matches against Sevilla, one for Almería in August 2022 and one for Real Sociedad in November 2023. If he were to score this time as well, he would become the first player in history to score a goal against the same opponent for three different teams in LaLiga.
The star of the visitors is Dodi Lukébakio, who has been involved in four of Sevilla's last five away goals in LaLiga (scored two, assisted on two). The Belgian striker has already recorded eight away goals in this league, which is at least twice as many as any other Sevilla player (Juanlu Sánchez, four).
Sevilla coach García Pimienta will face Valencia for the fourth time in LaLiga (1 win, 1 draw, 1 loss), with his only league visit to the Mestalla stadium ending in a loss: 0-1 with UD Las Palmas in August 2023.
We thank OPTA for providing the statistical data.
Photo: source XYZ
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