Previews
JUE 12.05.2016
Team News:
- Valencia CF: Zakaria Bakkali, Denis Cheryshev, Jose Luis Gaya, Shkodran Mustafi and Aymen Abdennour (all injured); Enzo Perez, Javi Fuego and Rodrigo (suspended).
- Real Sociedad: Iñigo Martinez, Raul Navas, Sergio Canales, Imanol Agirretxe and Carlos Martinez (all injured); Esteban Granero (suspended).
Match Facts:
Valencia CF (11th, 44 pts):
- Los Che welcome Real Sociedad to Mestalla and the hosts will be looking to put the smiles on their fans' faces in this, their last game of the season. Last time out, Valencia offered a very good account of themselves, but ultimately ended up going down 3-2 at the Santiago Bernabeu.
- With their league survival guaranteed and with no hope of making it into Europe, the only thing up for stake here are the three points and bragging rights. The team to emerge victorious from this one will end the season above their final-day opponents.
TRAINING SESSION I #VCF finalise preparations for the last clash @RealSociedadEN➡https://t.co/9lHD7Qnoeh pic.twitter.com/eOKvGCSAZe
— Valencia CF English (@valenciacf_en) May 12, 2016
- 2-0 scorelines have dominated the recent head-to-head clashes between the two sides. The Basques ran out 2-0 winners in the reverse fixture, whilst Valencia won by the same margin in the 2014/15 campaign.
Real Sociedad (9th, 45 pts):
- The San Sebastian outfit, who saw off Rayo Vallecano 2-1 in their last outing, head to Valencia without six members of their squad due to injuries. Nevertheless, the Basques will be looking for a repeat of the 2-1 away victory they claimed in 2013, when a Ruben Pardo goal handed them all three points.
- Jon Bautista is the man who has been grabbing all of the headlines this week in the La Real camp. The youth-team graduate, who has become a regular fixture under Eusebio, got his name on the scoresheet against Rayo and is making a real impact. Eusebio had the following to say on the youngster's introduction into the first team: "We've followed the normal procedure with Bautista, by introducing him gradually. It's a case of finding that balance."
VIDEO - @AritzElustondo: "We have the chance to finish 8th and we have to think about that" https://t.co/bFtTJOZl64 #RealSociedad
— Real Sociedad (@RealSociedadEN) May 11, 2016
- This game marks Eusebio's 27th at the La Real helm. His record reads 10 wins, six draws and 10 defeats from the 26 games he's overseen. A win here would therefore see him end the season having recorded more wins than defeats.
Don't leave the Valencia region without… taking a trip to La Albufera, a natural park home to the largest lake in Spain, which will be right up your street if you're a fan of the great outdoors. Take your pick between activities which include hiking alongside the reservoirs, lagoons, rice fields and sand dunes or signing up for a private bird tour on which you'll catch a glimpse of up to 100 species.
Getting to Mestalla
Address: Avenida de Suecia, 46010 Valencia.
Bus: Line 10 to Avenida Aragon opposite the stadium
Train: Estacio del Nord (North Station).
Stadium location here.
Time: 20:30 CET
Stadium: Mestalla
Referee: Velasco Carballo, Carlos
TV: Watch the game in your country
Hashtag: #VCFvRSO
Preview in numbers
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