Sporting Gijon – Valencia

Sporting Gijon welcomes the struggling Valencia in a game from the 8th round of the Spanish La Liga at the Estadio Municipal El Molinón in Gijon.

Both teams are more close to the bottom than to the top, which is a very surprising in Valencia’s case. The Los Che are currently placed at the relegation zone of La Liga with just six points won from seven games played, which is absolutely shocking for a club of this stature.

Soon enough Valencia sacked their manager Pako Ayestaran and appointed Italy’s former coach Cesare Prandelli, who is about to record his debut in Spanish football against Sporting. Prandelli was at the stands during the 0-2 loss against Atletico Madrid at Mestalla, but then Valencia was led by the caretaker Voro.

Cesare Prandelli has some problems before his first game at Valencia. Salva Ruiz, Nani, Eliaquim Mangala and Dani Parejo are all doubtful for the match, with the good news coming from the recovery of Ezequiel Garay and Enzo Perez.

Sporting can rely once again on the recovered Nacho Cases and Fernando Amorebieta, while Xavi Torres, Roberto Canella and Douglas are doubtful for the game because of injuries.

This is not an appropriate place for Valencia in the La Liga standings, so we should expect to see the team revived under Cesare Prandelli’s guidance. The Italian manager is an experienced tactician and everybody expects to see him changing Valencia’s fortunes for the better. The game in Gijon is a good opportunity for him to start doing it, so let’s see how his arrival is going to affect the struggling team.

Sporting lost all of their last four games in the league, so they are clearly in even worse condition than Valencia at the moment. Prandelli couldn’t have a better chance to start well his revolution at the Mestalla than this one.