Valencia – Celtic SOCCER PICKS
Valencia and Celtic meet at Estadio de Mestalla, in a return match for this phase of the UEFA Europa League (16th Finals), after the victory outside Valencia by (0-2) in the first leg. In this match the home factor may be decisive, since both teams present considerable differences in the results obtained at home and as a visitor.
Valencia:
The home team comes to this second leg with a 2-goal advantage, after the away win by (0-2) in the first leg. This is a team that usually makes good use of the home advantage, stronger with the help of its supporters, since in the last 30 matches they register 4 wins, 6 draws and 5 losses in away matches, with 15 goals scored and 16 conceded; against 8 wins, 6 draws and 1 loss at their stadium, with 24 goals scored and 9 conceded. In the last match they played, for the First Division, they drew with Espanyol at home by (0-0). In the last 10 home matches Valencia has 6 wins and 4 draws. Their attack has scored regularly, since they have scored goals in 7 of the last 10 matches. In 15 games, he got the comeback in 2 of the 5 games in which he suffered the first goal.
Valencia reach this motivated round, after a win in the first leg, by 0-2, on Celtic soil, so it is more comfortable in this second match. We remember that the locals come to this game with a scoreless draw against Espanyol, in a game for the Spanish championship. One of the weaknesses of the home team is the inability to demonstrate to act against teams that defend in a very compact, being that most of the time they fail to give a good response. However, we believe that the local team will act in 4-4-2, in which the two most advanced pieces are Sobrino and Gameiro. Coach Marcelino Toral can count on the usual players.
Celtic:
After the defeat at home, the visiting team comes to this second leg with a dismay of 2 goals and with the difficult task of recovering this negative result as a visitor. This is a team that usually makes good use of the home advantage, stronger with the help of its supporters, since in the last 30 matches they register 8 wins, 2 draws and 5 losses in away matches; against 13 wins and 2 losses at their stadium. In the last match that they played, for the Premier League, they won against Kilmarnock by (0-1). In their last 4 away matches for the UEFA Europa League, Celtic have recorded 1 win, 1 draw and 2 losses. Their attack has scored regularly, since they have scored goals in 7 of the last 9 matches for this competition.
The Celtic left for this game motivated after a win, by 0-1, in the field of Kilmarnock, in a game to count for the Scottish championship. We remember that the visitors are in a difficult situation in this Europa League, as they lost in the first leg, against Valencia, by 0-2. The foreign team usually acts in a tactical system in 4-2-3-1, privileging fast transitions, mainly through the wings. One of the strong points of the foreign team is the way they manage to take advantage of the standing balls. The number 11 Scott Sinclair is the great highlight of this team, with 16 goals scored. The technician Brendan Rodgers should not be able to count on Rogic, Eboue and Arzani, to be injured.
