Valencia will travel to Northern Spain to take on fourth-tier outfit UD Logrones in the first round of the Copa del Rey on Thursday. As a La Liga team, Valencia aims to avoid an upset against the lower-league Logrones side.
Match Preview
Having won the Copa del Rey title eight times, Valencia has a strong track record in the competition despite recent challenges.
They emerged victorious in 2019 by defeating Barcelona in the final but fell short as finalists in 2022, losing to Real Betis in a penalty shootout.
In contrast, Logrones has never reached the fifth round before, making this encounter a tough challenge for them.
Valencia’s dominance over lower-league opponents has been evident since 2004, with their last defeat against a team below La Liga occurring almost two decades ago.
Under the management of former player Ruben Baraja, Valencia has shown promising form this season, collecting 15 points in their opening 11 games.
Their unbeaten streak of three matches was slightly marred by a late equalizer from Athletic Bilbao in their recent fixture, resulting in a 2-2 draw.
Despite this, Valencia displayed strength in their home win against Cadiz and an away draw against Real Mallorca.
Logrones embarks on their Copa journey, hoping to showcase their potential despite being recently relegated.
The La Rioja-based club has had notable cup runs in recent years, reaching the fourth round in the 2010-11 and 2015-16 seasons.
However, Valencia has been a thorn in their side, defeating them in both encounters.
In their last meeting, Valencia secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Logrones thanks to an early goal from Maxi Gomez.
Last season, Real Sociedad also struggled to break down Logrones, managing only a 1-0 win.
Logrones had a memorable lead at Mestalla over a decade ago but ultimately succumbed to defeat, losing 7-1 on aggregate.
Diego Martinez’s Logrones side enters this fixture with confidence after a strong league form.
They remain unbeaten after nine matches and have recently recorded impressive victories against Arenas Club (5-1), San Juan (4-0), and Mutilvera (3-0).
Currently occupying a playoff place in Group 2 of the Segunda Federacion, Logrones aims to continue their positive run.
Team News:
Logrones will be missing central defender Andoni Ugarte due to injury ahead of this clash.
Captain Inaki Saenz, who scored in the win over Arenas Club, will lead the team as they focus on defensive solidity.
Jony and Jon Madrazo will provide attacking threats on the counter.
Valencia, on the other hand, will be without striker Hugo Duro due to a shoulder injury sustained in their recent match against Athletic Bilbao.
Young midfielder Andre Almeida and Mouctar Diakhaby are also sidelined, although they are expected to return soon.
Cenk Ozcakar and Jesus Vazquez remain doubtful for this fixture.
Manager Ruben Baraja may opt for rotation, giving opportunities to Roman Yaremchuk, Sergi Canos, and Dimitri Foulquier, who are returning from injuries.
Additionally, there is a possibility of young players such as Hugo Guillamon, Hugo Gonzalez, and Pablo Gozalbez being fielded.
Predicted Lineups:
UD Logrones:
- Kike Royo;
- Iribarren, Cristian Fernandez, Miki Codina, Inaki Saenz;
- Asier Goti, Sarriegi, Urzelai, Jon Madrazo;
- Jony, Yurrebaso
Valencia:
- Mamardashvili;
- Foulquier, Guillamon, Mosquera, Gaya;
- Sergi Canos, Javi Guerra, Pablo Gozalbez, Hugo Gonzalez;
- Yaremchuk, Amallah
Prediction:
Despite Logrones’ commendable performance in previous Copa del Rey encounters, Valencia is expected to secure a comfortable victory.
The visitors should prevail with a 3-0 scoreline, solidifying their place in the next round. Valencia’s recent good form in the league adds to their favoritism for this match.