Next Sunday, 9th November 2014, a super motivated Valencia will measure forces with an Athletic Bilbao that is clearly recovering from their bad season start, at Mestalla for round 11 of the Spanish Liga BBVA, on a match that both sides need to win for completely antagonic reasons. Los Che want to maintain their place among the big dogs up at the table, keeping their opponents at bay, and Athletic want to shorten distances to the teams placed on the first half of the table.

After an easy win over Elche two weeks ago, Valencia granted the three points from their always complicated visit to El Madrigal, where they went head-to-head with Villarreal, one of the most interesting teams of La Liga so far this season. Nuno Espirito Santo’s boys continue to impress both the supporters and the pundits with an intense attacking game flow and with the total commitment of the players in their so far successful attempt to restore Los Che’s past glory.

Last Sunday’s quality performance proved that Valencia’s slip-up at Riazor three weeks ago was no more than a bad day in the team’s La Liga splendid campaign. Los Che are not afraid to look all of their opponents in the eye and it will certainly be interesting to understand how far the team will be able to go this season. The historical Spanish side are currently on the second place of the table, just one point behind of the league leaders Real Madrid, and with the same points of the present La Liga’s champions, Atlético Madrid.

For the predictably complicated match against Athletic Bilbao, the Portuguese manager is not yet certain if he will be able to rely on the contribution of Parejo and Orban, who are still recovering from their recent injuries.

As for Athletic, the team from the Basque Country seem to be recovering from their devastating season start and are currently on a two match 100% victorious row. After being defeated by FC Porto two weeks ago for the UEFA Champions League, Bilbao’s manager rallied the troops and the team seems to have finally found the right path to achieve good things, at least on domestic competitions. Next weekend’s fixture against Valencia is far from easy, and before that important match, Athletic will have an important Champions League clash against the former European champions FC Porto at San Mamés and the outcome of that particular game might influentiate how the team will present themselves at Mestalla next weekend.

Despite Bilbao’s recent recovery, Valencia are favourites to win the next Sunday’s match, as they have won all their of home matches so far this season.

Valencia

Stats: W-3 L-1 D-1

Recent Form - WWLWD

Athletic Bilbao

Stats: W-2 L-2 D-1

Recent Form - WWLDL

Possible Line-ups

Valencia (4-3-3) - Diego Alves - Gayá - Otamendi - Mustafi - Barragan - Javi Fuego - André Gomes - Feghouli - Piatti - P. Alcácer - Rodrigo

Athletic Bilbao (4-2-3-1) - Iraizoz - Iraola - Etxeita- Laporte - Balenziaga - Iturraspe - M. Rico - Muniain - de Marcos - Susaeta - Aduriz

Prediction

Valencia 1 Athletic Bilbao 0