Valencia vs Real Sociedad Prediction 16.08.2025 | LaLiga

Valencia have long ceased to resemble the side that once fought for a top-four finish and matched Spain’s giants blow for blow, yet last season’s 12th-place finish was far from disastrous considering they spent much of the first half of the campaign languishing near the foot of the table.

Central to the club’s resurgence and escape from relegation danger has been Carlos Corberan, whose commendable impact since assuming the managerial role has sparked genuine optimism among the Mestalla crowd, with a top-half push in the 2025–26 season firmly on the agenda for the upbeat 42-year-old boss.

Valencia’s pre-season, however, has been far from ideal, as they went through four opening friendlies without a win (D2 L2) before delivering a flawless display in their final tune-up, cruising past Serie A side Torino with three unanswered goals.

Los Ches have filled the gap left by Giorgi Mamardashvili with Julen Agirrezabala, arriving on a one-year loan from Athletic Bilbao and set to be their number one goalkeeper.

After finishing among the league’s top four in the 2022/23 season and making a notable Champions League run to the last-16 the following year, last season saw a dramatic collapse as they ended in a below-par 11th place – their lowest league finish since 2018.

Following a frustrating league campaign, Imanol Alguacil has departed the Basque club after an eight-year tenure, with Sergio Francisco, the former Real Sociedad youth coach, stepping in as his successor.

At first glance, Txuri-Urdin appear stable under their new skipper, having slipped to just one defeat in seven friendlies this summer, and showcasing notable display in their concluding warm-ups with a 4-1 demolition of Osasuna and solid 1-1 draws against Rennes and Bournemouth.

The Basque side faced a tough summer without Imanol Alguacil and Martin Zubimendi, but they reinforced their backline with Duje Caleta-Car and added firepower up front through Goncalo Guedes.