Valencia hosts Atlético Madrid at Mestalla Stadium on May 2, 2026, as both teams strive for critical points in La Liga. Valencia sits 12th with 39 points, while Atlético Madrid is 4th with 60 points.
The match kicks off at 14:15 UTC (4:15 PM local time). Valencia has struggled against Atlético in recent encounters, failing to keep a clean sheet in their last six meetings.
Valencia’s head coach Rubén Baraja aims for a strong finish this season. The projected lineup for Valencia is a 4-4-2 formation: Dimitrievski; Saravia, Tárrega, Pepelu, Gayà; Rioja, Guerra, Rodríguez, Ramazani; Beltrán, Sadiq.
Atlético Madrid’s coach Diego Simeone must balance La Liga and the UEFA Champions League. Their projected lineup features a 5-3-2 formation: Musso; Molina, Boñar, Le Normand, Lenglet, Díaz; Morcillo, Mendoza, Vargas; Baena, Almada.
Hugo Duro leads Valencia with nine goals in 31 games. In contrast, Alexander Sorloth tops Atlético with 12 goals in the same number of matches.
Historically, Atlético has dominated recent meetings. They have won the last four games against Valencia. This trend adds pressure on Baraja’s side to perform at home.
Observers expect an intense match as Valencia seeks to improve their position while Atlético aims to solidify their Champions League spot. With both teams having much at stake, fans anticipate an exciting contest.