Valencia vs Aston Villa

Estadio de Mestalla plays host to Valencia’s first meeting with Aston Villa since a tepid 0-0 draw in 2010.

Ruben Baraja’s appointment as the new chief of staff last February proved a season-defining choice for Valencia, considering they barely held on to their La Liga status in 2022/23, finishing only two points clear of the relegation zone. However, strapped for cash and faced with several high-profile summer departures, including YunusMusah’s move to AC Milan, the Spaniards won’t dare to dream big. That said, a flawless four-game winning start to their pre-season preparations offers a glimmer of hope to the Mestalla faithful, with Valencia overcoming St Gallen, Deportivo Alaves, Nottingham Forest, and Spartak Trnava by an aggregate score of 7-1. Quick out of the blocks, Baraja’s men have found themselves up at halftime in their last three outings.

Unlike their hosts, Aston Villa have been busy this summer, acquiring the services of YouriTielemans, Pau Torres, and club-record signing Moussa Diaby to bolster Unai Emery’s squad ahead of the upcoming Europa Conference League adventure. Back to European football for the first time in over a decade, the ‘Lions’ have gone from strength to strength this summer, clocking up a five-game unbeaten run (W2, D3), bookended by an emphatic 3-0 win over Lazio in midweek. Villa’s scoring prowess has reached a new high, as they’ve netted multiple goals in four consecutive summer friendlies following a disheartening 1-1 draw against lower-league Walsall in their opening pre-season fixture. By extension, Emery’s lads have found the net in their last eight matches.