Soon after establishing a record unbeaten run in the Spanish Championship, Barcelona seeks to once again secure its place in the decision of the King of Spain Cup. Closing the round of the semifinals of the 2017/2018 edition of the tournament, face Valencia in the Mestalla stadium in Valencia. The start is scheduled for 18:30 (Brasília time).
In the first game at Camp Nou, the Catalan team scored 1-0. In this way, they will reach the standings if they win, draw or even lose by a goal difference if they manage to shake the house network at least once. For Valencia, only success with a two-goal margin will be sufficient to guarantee the vacancy in the regulation time. If you return the score, it will cause an extension and, with equality remaining, decision by penalties.

Valencia’s recent performance

The Valencia team is at its worst in the season. On Sunday, February 4, he lost 1-0 to Atletico Madrid. It was his fifth straight loss. It only lost no position in the Spanish league standings because Real Madrid, its main pursuer, also stumbled.
Valencia have 40 points (12 wins, four draws and six losses). It’s in third place. Real reached 39 points as they drew 2-2 with Levante away from home. It has, however, one more game to be done.
This compromises the situation of Valencia, which is currently in the zone of classification for the group stage of the Champions League of Europe version 2018/2019. If they lose to Real Madrid they will still have a chance to get there, but they will need to play in the qualifiers.
The lack of a cast with more quantity is pointed by analysts as one of the factors that caused the great fall of the income of Valencia in the second half of the season. In order to do so, he recounted the “emptying” of the agenda of the rivals that had commitments by European leagues and could dedicate themselves in the last two months only to the national competitions, since the continental ones were paralyzed, and also by their participation in the Glass of the King.
Its debut in the dispute was at the end of October. In the fourth phase, passed through Zaragoza with wins of 2 to 0 (away) and 4 to 1 (home). Then they beat Las Palmas with a draw (1 to 1, away) and win (4 to 1, home). The biggest challenge was Alavés, currently runner-up in the quarterfinals. In Valencia, won by 2 to 1. As a visitor, lost by the same score. Only advanced with the best in the decision by penalties.

The current form of Barcelona

The 2017/2018 generation of Barcelona set a historic record on Sunday, February 4. A draw with Espanyol, 1 to 1, in the rival’s stadium, reached the club’s greatest unbeaten run in a Spanish Championship. There are 22 matches (18 wins and 4 draws). This brand previously belonged to Pepe Guardiola’s team, which in the 2009/2010 season went unbeaten for 21 consecutive LaLiga games. The sequence left the team very close to winning the title. Barca leads with 58 points. They are nine more than Atletico Madrid, second place.
In the King’s Cup, also has advanced without major difficulties. In his debut, he went through Murcia with 3-0 wins (away) and 5-0 (home). Celta was his second victim. After a 1-1 draw at the rival’s home, he thrashed at Camp Nou 5-0. Espanyol made the team sweat a little more in the quarterfinals. He scored 1-0 in the first leg, but still in the first half of the game Barca scored 2-0 and only managed the result to the end.
For this Thursday’s showdown, defender Gerard Piquet (17 games in the 2017/2018 Champions League, two goals), the scorer of the draw and who secured the record on Sunday, became doubtful. He left the field complaining of knee pain. It must be evaluated again by the medical department to determine if it will be able to face Valencia. If it is vetoed, it may open the opportunity for the debut of former Palmeiras Yerry Mina.
Also in the ward are defenders Lucas Digne (seven games, no goal) and Thomas Vermaelen (eight games, no goal); the socks José Manuel Arnaiz Diaz (a game, without a goal) and Sergi Samper (without performances); and striker Ousmane Dembele (four games, no goal).

History of the matches Valencia vs Barcelona
In addition to the first leg of the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey, the teams were face to face in the first round of the Spanish Championship. The game, in Valencia, was in the 1 to 1.

The Valencia showed that it plays better exploiting the counterattacks. On the occasions when he had to leave in search of the result, he presented many defensive problems. Thus, the guess at Barça is the best option for the confrontation. It has a price of 1.57 in Bet365. Victory of the owners of the house pays 5.00 and draw yields 4.33 per 1. Quotations in force at 15:54 of 5/2/2018.