Just 48 hours ago, Valencia was in serious trouble. They kicked off their match against Athletic Club just two points above the relegation zone, sitting in 16th place. No one in the Valencia camp was even thinking about looking up the table. The only focus was picking up points at San Mamés to keep the drop at bay and then confirming safety next Thursday against Rayo Vallecano.
But Valencia pulled off a surprise victory at the Cathedral of football, winning 1-0 thanks to a goal from Sadiq. That result lifted them to 42 points, which looks enough to secure survival without further drama. So what now? In this wild season, some are already casting their eyes upward—and it’s not as crazy as it sounds. With nine points still up for grabs, Valencia is just three points behind Getafe, who currently hold the spot for the Conference League (after it was confirmed last Thursday that the fifth-placed team in La Liga will qualify for the Champions League next season).
Looking at the teams above, Real Sociedad already has a Europa League place secured as Copa del Rey champions. Rayo Vallecano (43 points) has the Conference League final on the horizon, and winning it would earn them a Europa League spot for next season. So the real rivals to watch, besides Rayo and Getafe (45 points), are Athletic Club (44) and Osasuna (42). Valencia has the head-to-head advantage over Getafe and Athletic, while they are tied with Osasuna. If they beat Rayo this Thursday, they would also have the head-to-head edge over them.
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Athletic – Valencia
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Furthermore, Valencia faces two of their last three matchdays against opponents who have nothing left to play for. The only direct battle is against Rayo at Mestalla this Thursday. Their final two games are against teams that have already achieved their goals this season: Real Sociedad at Anoeta and the newly crowned La Liga champions, Barcelona, at Mestalla—the latter will likely be with many players already thinking about international duty.