Who will win this battle of the bottom two?

In the Santander vs. Valencia preview, it’s literally Groundhog Day all over again—yet another time, the once-great Valencia CF has botched its start to the season and, instead of competing for European spots, finds itself in a relegation battle. This time, however, things seem particularly dire. After seven rounds, the “Bats” have just four points. Only the promoted team from Málaga has had an even worse start to the new season.

But the six-time Spanish champions reacted quickly, firing Carlos Corberán back in September. After securing their first win of the season under interim coach Sánchez, the club has now completely overhauled the coaching staff during the international break, bringing in Javier Aguirre—a coach with plenty of experience—to the sidelines. But is that enough to turn things around?

In any case, the bookmakers don’t give the “Bats” much of a chance. They see the hosts, Racing, as the favorites. The newly promoted team itself got off to a good start to the season with seven points from as many games, but has recently had to learn some hard lessons. They suffered stinging defeats against Barcelona and Celta Vigo, losing by more than five goals in each match.

One thing that seems certain, however, is that we won’t see a goal-fest on Sunday. Javier Aguirre, the visitors’ new coach—known for his conservative style of play—will have his team focus on defense first and foremost and look to make quick transitions. The home team, too, will be keen to keep a clean sheet after suffering two heavy defeats before the international break. It therefore makes sense to bet on under 2.5 goals in the Santander vs. Valencia match.

Those looking for even higher returns can also bet on the home team failing to score. As mentioned earlier, the visitors will in all likelihood focus on tightening up their defense, and it’s doubtful that the promoted team’s limited offense will find a way to break through.

Now that the goal question has been addressed, the remaining question is who will secure the points in this match. While it’s difficult to identify a clear trend in this matchup between the newly promoted team and the crisis-stricken powerhouse, it might be worth betting on the visitors at least not losing, given the expected “manager effect.”

Santander – Valencia Head-to-Head Record

In head-to-head matchups, Valencia clearly has the edge. However, the statistics aren’t particularly meaningful—after all, the last time these two teams faced off was nearly 15 years ago.

Santander vs. Valencia Prediction

You should avoid following the bookmakers’ predictions for Santander vs. Valencia. Although the visitors are in second-to-last place after seven games this season and seem poised for another season in the relegation battle, they can count on the “coach effect.”

A home win for the promoted team is therefore unlikely.

In addition to the X2 double chance bet, bets on the number of goals also look promising. Since Javier Aguirre will certainly focus on defense at the start of his tenure, few goals are expected in this matchup. It’s also questionable whether the home team will score at all.