Valencia to be without key player against Barcelona

Valencia are currently on the up, having won three of their last five matches. However, they will be tested this weekend when they take on Barcelona at the Estadi Olimpic, especially as they’ll be without one of their most important players.

On Sunday, Valencia won their first La Liga match under new head coach Carlos Coberan as they defeated Real Sociedad 1-0 at the Mestalla. One of their best performers during that fixture was Cristhian Mosquera, who has looked back to his best since the change of management.

However, the young defender picked up a yellow card in the dying stages of the match, and as a result, he has now triggered an automatic one-match suspension, given that it was his fifth La Liga booking of the season, as per Marca.

It is the first time in his Valencia career that Mosquera that incurred a suspension, and it comes at a terrible moment for him and Los Che, given that they will need to be very strong defensively if they are to stop Barcelona, although the Catalans have lost their last three La Liga matches at the Estadi Olimpic, which will provide some comfort for Corberan’s side.

With Mosquera unavailable, it is expected that highly-rated defender Yarek Gasiorowski will replace him in the starting line-up for the match against Barcelona on Sunday. Fellow centre-back Mouctar Diakhaby is on the comeback trail having been out since last February with a serious knee injury, but that fixture is expected to come too soon for him, especially as a starter.

It will be two meetings in 10 days for Valencia and Barcelona as they will also face off in the Copa del Rey at the start of February. Los Che will hope that they can secure positive results in both matches, starting with this weekend’s encounter.