Valencia host Athletic Club at the Estadio de Mestalla on Saturday, October 17, in a La Liga meeting between teams facing different challenges. Valencia sit 19th after one win in eight league matches, but a 2-2 draw with Racing Santander offered early encouragement under Javier Aguirre. Athletic Club are 10th with two games in hand, although they have not played an official match since September 19. The visitors have shown promise this season, but a month without competition and difficulties converting chances in their last two outings add uncertainty to their trip to Valencia.

Valencia's Recent Form and Key Stats

Valencia have taken one win, two draws and five defeats from their eight La Liga fixtures. They average 0.8 goals scored and 1.9 conceded per league match. Their last five matches have brought one win, one draw and three defeats, with an average of 1.0 goal scored and 2.2 conceded. Those figures underline the defensive problems that Aguirre must address as Valencia try to improve on 19th place.

Their 2-2 draw against Racing Santander on October 11 was Aguirre's first match in charge. Valencia still showed defensive weaknesses, but they remained competitive and created a clear chance in the final minute. Before his arrival, their league results included a 0-0 draw with Celta de Vigo and a 0-1 victory over Deportivo Alavés, alongside defeats to Real Betis, Deportivo La Coruña, Barcelona, Sevilla and Real Sociedad.

There were individual positives against Racing Santander. Dani Raba, who had played only eight minutes under Carlos Corberán, started and scored in the second minute. Javi Guerra assisted Valencia's equaliser and was more involved around the opposition penalty area, while Otorbi added pace and a goal. Valencia will be without Canós, Sadiq and Diego López for this match, and Rioja is a doubt.

Athletic Club's Recent Form and Key Stats

Athletic Club have two wins, two draws and two defeats in La Liga, averaging 1.2 goals scored and 1.0 conceded per game. Across their last five matches, they have won twice, drawn twice and lost once, scoring 1.2 goals and conceding 0.6 per match on average. Wins against Celta de Vigo and Atlético de Madrid showcased their ability to play at a high tempo after defeats to Sevilla and Barcelona at the start of the campaign.

Their momentum slowed with a 1-1 draw against Elche and a 0-0 draw against Deportivo Alavés on September 19. Athletic Club created chances in those games but struggled to finish them: the two draws produced one goal from 42 shots. Postponements of their fixtures against Levante and Rayo Vallecano mean that the Alavés game remains their most recent official outing.

There are mixed signals in Athletic Club's away statistics. Their last 15 away La Liga matches have each featured over 1.5 total goals, yet they have been behind at half-time in seven of their last 10 away league games. At least one second-half goal has also been scored in 27 of their last 30 La Liga matches. Robert Navarro has scored twice this season, Iñaki Williams has supplied two league assists, and Berenguer has one goal. Nico Williams, Sancet and Unai Egiluz are unavailable through injury.

Probable Lineups: Valencia vs Athletic Club

Valencia: Dimitrievski; De Haas, Diakhaby, Maffeo, Gayá; Pepelu, Guido Rodríguez, Javi Guerra; Otorbi, Raba, Hugo Duro.

Athletic Club: Unai Simón; Laporte, Yeray, Areso, Yuri; Galarreta, Gerenabarrena, Peio Canales; Berenguer, Robert Navarro, Iñaki Williams.

Valencia vs Athletic Club Match Analysis

The central question is whether Valencia can build on their response against Racing Santander while reducing the chances they allow. Aguirre's first match brought goals from Raba and Otorbi, but Valencia's recent defensive record remains a concern. Athletic Club arrive with stronger results across their last five games, though their month away from official competition makes it difficult to know whether they can immediately recover the rhythm shown in their wins over Celta de Vigo and Atlético de Madrid.

Finishing could be decisive for the visitors. Athletic Club took just two points and scored once across their meetings with Elche and Alavés despite generating numerous shots, and they must now play without Nico Williams and Sancet. Valencia, meanwhile, have conceded an average of 2.2 goals over their last five matches. The most recent head-to-head ended 1-0 to Athletic Club on May 10, 2026, but the visitors' run of 15 away league games with at least two total goals offers a contrasting guide to this fixture. With Valencia seeking an improvement under Aguirre and Athletic Club returning from a long break, both sides have something to prove at Mestalla.

Valencia vs Athletic Club prediction from BetMines: Over 1.5 goals with 74% probability.