Each line is generated from a finding that cleared its evidence bar; nothing here is a generic coaching point. The grey line says what it rests on; the button opens the sequences.
In your own build-up area, play on one or two touches: don't try to dribble past their press, and keep first touches clean.
44% of their high regains come straight after the opponent tries to dribble past someone or takes a bad touch (league median 26%); only 15% come from forward passes.
Copy the sides that escaped it: Barcelona got out 83% (long on 0%).
Average escape rate against them is 54%.
When you win it, go down their left side immediately.
42% of the xG they concede after losing the ball comes down their left side (85 attacks, 14 shots), against 25% of their own attacking xG through that channel.
Avoid conceding corners; mark César Tárrega first.
26% of their corners end in a shot; first contacts: César Tárrega (5), Hugo Duro (4), Mouctar Diakhaby (2).
Where each player takes the ball in each phase of their possession, and who passes to whom. Event data has no off-ball positions, so this is the shape of their touches — the standard event-data proxy. A phase is defined by where the ball is, so the dots sit inside that phase's third (shaded): read the order and the width, not the depth of each line. Valencia attack left to right.
attacking → · shaded = the build-up zone
600 build-up phases. Dot = the median spot of a player's touches in this phase; size = share of touches; lines = consecutive touches between two players.
attacking → · shaded = the progression zone
711 progression phases. Dot = the median spot of a player's touches in this phase; size = share of touches; lines = consecutive touches between two players.
attacking → · shaded = the final third zone
464 final third phases. Dot = the median spot of a player's touches in this phase; size = share of touches; lines = consecutive touches between two players.
Tackles, interceptions, recoveries, blocks, challenges and fouls in the opponent's final 40%.
197 in the window. The press on a build-up = the first two rows: 27 (2.7 a match).
| source | times | share | per match | shot | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| press: settled build-up taken off them | 24 | 12% | 2.4 | 17% | |
| press: their restart forced into an error before they settled | 3 | 2% | 0.3 | 0% | |
| counter-press: won straight back after losing it | 11 | 6% | 1.1 | 9% | |
| second ball: the opponent touched it but never controlled it | 159 | 81% | 15.9 | 26% | |
| ↳ rebound after their own shot (saved or blocked) | 18 | 9% | 1.8 | 50% | |
| ↳ their cross / ball into the box, cleared | 68 | 35% | 6.8 | 35% | |
| ↳ their long ball, only headed or touched away | 26 | 13% | 2.6 | 15% | |
| ↳ after their own throw-in / set piece | 13 | 7% | 1.3 | 0% | |
| ↳ loose ball in their combination play (pass blocked or tackled) | 34 | 17% | 3.4 | 15% |
| opponent was | share | league | rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| dribbling or a loose touch | 44% | 26% | 1 / 20 | |
| passing forward | 15% | 26% | 18 / 20 | |
| passing to a full-back | 10% | 17% | 17 / 20 | |
| going long | 8% | 12% | 16 / 20 | |
| passing sideways | 5% | 5% | 12 / 20 | |
| passing to the keeper | 5% | 2% | 3 / 20 | |
| taking a throw-in | 3% | 2% | 7 / 20 | |
| passing back | 0% | 0% | 9 / 20 | |
| a loose ball | 0% | 0% | 1 / 20 |
The opponents who went long most (48% of build-ups) got out 52% of the time; those who mostly played short (12% long) got out 54%. That is a lean, not proven at 20 matches (p=0.7927).
Best escapes: Barcelona 83%; Athletic Club 62%; Deportivo 55%. One dot per match; hover for the opponent.
Most often started by Pablo Maffeo (13), José Luis Gayà (9), Ryunosuke Sato (8), Guido Rodríguez (8).
| lost in | losses | won back within 5s | led to a shot |
|---|---|---|---|
| own third | 68 | 31% | 13% |
| midfield | 267 | 19% | 7% |
| final third | 319 | 28% | 2% |
21.7 opponent attacks per match after winning the ball in open play that broke forward fast or reached the final third. Shading and % = share of the xG they produced, by the channel they used. Valencia's goal is on the left. Central attacks carry more xG for every team, so compare with Valencia's own attacking xG in the same kind of channel (centre, or the average flank): left 42% conceded vs 25% own, right 39% conceded vs 25% own, centre 19% conceded vs 50% own.
Every real turnover, named by the situation it came from. "Fast" = the side with the ball reached the final third within 10 seconds. Only real turnovers appear here: for everything the press wins high, including restarts it forced into an error, see "Every ball won in the opponent’s third" in the press section.
| type | times | share | fast | shot | xG | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Won high from a settled build-up (press) | 26 | 4%lg 5% | 27% | 15%lg 12% | 0.6 | |
| Won after their long possession (10+ passes) | 103 | 14%lg 11% | 11% | 2%lg 4% | 0.4 | |
| Won straight back after losing it (counter-press) | 76 | 10%lg 11% | 33% | 4%lg 8% | 0.2 | |
| Won by stopping their counter | 45 | 6%lg 4% | 16% | 0%lg 4% | 0.0 | |
| Won in midfield | 149 | 21%lg 25% | 25% | 2%lg 7% | 0.2 | |
| Won deep in own third | 300 | 41%lg 37% | 10% | 3%lg 3% | 0.9 | |
| Won from their set piece | 27 | 4%lg 5% | 19% | 4%lg 3% | 0.1 |
| type | times | share | opponent fast | shot against | xG | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lost in own build-up under pressure | 49 | 7%lg 5% | 37% | 12%lg 13% | 0.3 | |
| Lost after own long possession (10+ passes) | 73 | 10%lg 12% | 25% | 10%lg 4% | 0.4 | |
| Lost straight after winning it | 99 | 14%lg 11% | 45% | 9%lg 9% | 1.2 | |
| Lost during own counter | 26 | 4%lg 4% | 19% | 4%lg 3% | 0.2 | |
| Lost in midfield | 218 | 30%lg 25% | 38% | 11%lg 6% | 1.5 | |
| Lost in the final third (attack broke down) | 244 | 33%lg 38% | 15% | 4%lg 3% | 1.7 | |
| Lost from own set piece | 21 | 3%lg 5% | 14% | 0%lg 4% | 0.0 |
Every controlled possession is typed by how it was played, and every real turnover (a possession that was established and then lost) by what the losing side was doing, how it lost the ball and what the winner did next. "Settled" = sustained or worked possessions; "unsettled" = short, second-ball, counter and direct possessions.
| type | times | share | ended in a shot | avg passes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| sustained circulation (10+ passes) | 99 | 12%lg 13% | 12%lg 13% | 13.7 | |
| worked possession (4-9 passes) | 217 | 26%lg 28% | 7%lg 10% | 5.9 | |
| direct attack | 136 | 16%lg 13% | 1%lg 2% | 1.4 | |
| short possession (0-3 passes) | 215 | 25%lg 22% | 0% | 1.5 |
| the side losing it was in… | times | fast attack | secured | lost straight back | can’t keep it | shot | xG | how it was lost | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| sustained circulation (10+ passes) | 74 | 24% | 19% | 4% | 50% | 9% | 0.4 | pass cut out 40, long ball lost 15 | |
| worked possession (4-9 passes) | 180 | 24% | 16% | 12% | 43% | 8% | 1.1 | pass cut out 85, long ball lost 59 | |
| direct attack | 117 | 36% | 14% | 6% | 39% | 3% | 0.2 | long ball lost 53, pass cut out 45 | |
| short possession (0-3 passes) | 198 | 34% | 9% | 4% | 47% | 10% | 1.8 | pass cut out 85, long ball lost 50 | |
| second-ball possession | 104 | 24% | 7% | 10% | 54% | 10% | 1.6 | pass cut out 54, long ball lost 19 | |
| counter / fast transition | 36 | 22% | 8% | 3% | 58% | 3% | 0.2 | pass cut out 25, failed dribble 4 | |
| set piece | 21 | 14% | 19% | 5% | 62% | 0% | 0.0 | pass cut out 11, long ball lost 5 |
| mechanism | times | share | led to a shot against | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| pass cut out | 345 | 47%lg 48% | 7% | |
| long ball lost | 202 | 28%lg 22% | 5% | |
| bad touch | 86 | 12%lg 14% | 12% | |
| tackled / dispossessed | 46 | 6%lg 6% | 13% | |
| failed dribble | 46 | 6%lg 7% | 9% |
| the opponent was in… | times | fast attack | secured | lost straight back | can’t keep it | shot | xG | how it was lost | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| sustained circulation (10+ passes) | 104 | 11% | 17% | 15% | 49% | 3% | 0.9 | pass cut out 70, bad touch 11 | |
| worked possession (4-9 passes) | 198 | 13% | 16% | 10% | 51% | 3% | 0.4 | pass cut out 115, long ball lost 32 | |
| direct attack | 92 | 16% | 15% | 10% | 48% | 1% | 0.1 | pass cut out 38, long ball lost 37 | |
| short possession (0-3 passes) | 114 | 28% | 7% | 5% | 51% | 5% | 0.3 | pass cut out 55, bad touch 21 | |
| second-ball possession | 132 | 16% | 15% | 7% | 52% | 4% | 0.4 | pass cut out 65, long ball lost 22 | |
| counter / fast transition | 59 | 20% | 14% | 10% | 51% | 2% | 0.1 | pass cut out 35, bad touch 13 | |
| set piece | 27 | 19% | 15% | 26% | 41% | 4% | 0.1 | pass cut out 17, bad touch 5 |
Fast attack = their final third or box reached within 10s. Secured = kept 10s+ or 4+ passes. Lost straight back = controlled, then lost within 5s. Can’t keep it = won the ball but never got it under control (cleared it, headed it away, blocked it or lost it at once).
Each phase split into the situations it is made of, every row with its league median and clips. Shots are their own category: a possession that ends in a shot has finished, it has not lost the ball.
| type | times | share | got out | reached the box | lost in build-up | shot | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| from the keeper / goal kick, played out short | 39 | 17%lg 18% | 62% | 5% | 31% | 8% | |
| from the keeper / goal kick, went long (bypass) | 25 | 11%lg 12% | 24% | 16% | 76% | 4% | |
| from the keeper / goal kick, stuck / recycled | 16 | 7% | 0% | 12% | 56% | 0% | |
| from the back line, played out short | 18 | 8%lg 10% | 72% | 17% | 22% | 11% | |
| from the back line, went long (bypass) | 10 | 4%lg 6% | 10% | 40% | 80% | 0% | |
| from the back line, stuck / recycled | 7 | 3% | 0% | 29% | 0% | 0% | |
| from a throw-in, played out short | 8 | 3%lg 5% | 62% | 12% | 38% | 0% | |
| from a throw-in, went long (bypass) | 7 | 3%lg 3% | 14% | 0% | 86% | 0% | |
| straight after winning it, played out short | 50 | 21%lg 16% | 68% | 20% | 30% | 2% | |
| straight after winning it, went long (bypass) | 27 | 11%lg 10% | 15% | 7% | 78% | 0% | |
| straight after winning it, stuck / recycled | 25 | 11% | 0% | 12% | 56% | 8% |
| outcome | times | share | opponent shot | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| won it high | 19 | 9%lg 9% | 0% | |
| forced long, then won it back | 47 | 23%lg 22% | 0% | |
| forced long, they kept it | 11 | 5%lg 5% | 36% | |
| they played through short | 75 | 37%lg 38% | 12% | |
| kept them stuck (recycled back) | 52 | 25%lg 26% | 0% |
Won high = the ball won in the opponent's own third. Forced long = the opponent left its third with a long ball (then either lost it in that possession, or kept it).
| created by | shots | share of open play | xG | xG per shot | goals | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| cross | 5 | 6%lg 9% | 0.4 | 0.09lg 0.11 | 0 | |
| cutback | 4 | 5%lg 7% | 0.6 | 0.16lg 0.10 | 0 | |
| through ball | 3 | 4%lg 4% | 0.8 | 0.27lg 0.24 | 2 | |
| short pass / combination | 36 | 47%lg 55% | 2.8 | 0.08lg 0.08 | 1 | |
| long ball | 9 | 12%lg 4% | 0.9 | 0.10lg 0.07 | 1 | |
| individual (dribble / self-made) | 5 | 6%lg 12% | 0.8 | 0.17lg 0.08 | 1 | |
| rebound / second ball | 15 | 19%lg 8% | 1.0 | 0.07lg 0.09 | 0 | |
| corner (set piece) | 21 | – | 1.1 | 0.05 | 0 | |
| free kick (indirect) (set piece) | 5 | – | 0.3 | 0.05 | 0 | |
| direct free kick (set piece) | 2 | – | 0.0 | 0.02 | 0 | |
| throw-in (set piece) | 3 | – | 0.2 | 0.06 | 0 | |
| penalty (set piece) | 1 | – | 0.8 | 0.79 | 1 |
| created by | shots | share | xG | xG per shot | goals | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| cross | 4 | 3%lg 11% | 0.6 | 0.15 | 1 | |
| cutback | 14 | 12%lg 6% | 1.3 | 0.09 | 1 | |
| through ball | 6 | 5%lg 4% | 1.4 | 0.24 | 2 | |
| short pass / combination | 69 | 58%lg 54% | 5.3 | 0.08 | 6 | |
| long ball | 5 | 4%lg 6% | 0.3 | 0.05 | 0 | |
| individual (dribble / self-made) | 12 | 10%lg 11% | 0.9 | 0.07 | 1 | |
| rebound / second ball | 8 | 7%lg 9% | 0.7 | 0.09 | 0 | |
| corner (set piece) | 17 | – | 1.0 | 0.06 | 1 | |
| free kick (indirect) (set piece) | 13 | – | 1.0 | 0.08 | 2 | |
| direct free kick (set piece) | 3 | – | 0.1 | 0.03 | 0 | |
| throw-in (set piece) | 3 | – | 0.2 | 0.06 | 0 | |
| penalty (set piece) | 1 | – | 0.8 | 0.79 | 1 |
| ending | shots | share | |
|---|---|---|---|
| goal | 5 | 5%lg 9% | |
| keeper held it | 11 | 10%lg 11% | |
| keeper parried it | 12 | 11%lg 13% | |
| blocked | 32 | 30%lg 25% | |
| off target | 47 | 44%lg 39% | |
| hit the woodwork | 1 | 1% |
Penalties excluded. A "save" by an outfield player is a block.
After their keeper held a shot (14), median release 8s; league share turned into a fast attack 17%:
| their keeper held it, then… | times | share | |
|---|---|---|---|
| keeper released fast -> fast attack | 1 | 7% | |
| keeper released quickly, no fast attack | 4 | 29% | |
| keeper slowed the game | 9 | 64% |
After their own shot was held by the opponent keeper (11); league share broken against fast 17%:
| the opponent keeper held it, then… | times | share | |
|---|---|---|---|
| keeper released fast -> fast attack | 2 | 18% | |
| keeper released quickly, no fast attack | 3 | 27% | |
| keeper slowed the game | 6 | 55% |
Fast = the keeper's side reached its final third within 15s of the save. Quick = first pass within 6s.
The other half of each phase above. Their own phases break down when they lose the ball (real turnovers only); their press and block break down when the opponent gets through. Each card: how often, how, where, who is involved, and what it costs them.
217 balls lost in 600 build-up phases (36%)
giveaways per 10 build-up phases: 3.3/10 · league 2.4/10
What it costs: 39% turned into a fast attack · 40% the opponent can’t keep · 10% led to a shot · 1.9 xG
245 balls lost in 711 middle-third phases (34%)
giveaways per 10 middle-third phases: 3.0/10 · league 2.8/10
What it costs: 31% turned into a fast attack · 38% the opponent can’t keep · 10% led to a shot · 2.4 xG
221 balls lost in 464 final-third phases (48%)
deliveries into the box that fail to arrive: 57% · league 57%
What it costs: 15% turned into a fast attack · 61% the opponent can’t keep · 4% led to a shot · 1.0 xG
58 deliveries into the box did not arrive
36 of 49 counter-attacks lost (73%)
attacking transitions that produce a shot: 17% · league 17%
What it costs: 22% turned into a fast attack · 58% the opponent can’t keep · 3% led to a shot · 0.2 xG
49 counters: 12 ended in a shot, 36 were lost, 1 slowed down or went out
100 of 184 opponent build-ups got out (54%)
opponent build-ups that get out cleanly: 54% · league 50%
What it costs: 39% reached the final third · 12% led to a shot · 0.9 xG
Sides are their own: "down the left" = down their left.
170 box entries in 678 opponent final-third phases (25%)
opponent final-third phases that create: 48% · league 48%
What it costs: 35% led to a shot · 5.8 xG
Sides are their own.
21 set pieces lost in open play
What it costs: 14% turned into a fast attack · 62% the opponent can’t keep · 0% led to a shot · 0.0 xG
Their corners and free kicks that were lost in open play, and what the opponent did next.
Takers: Filip Ugrinic (12), Javi Guerra (11), Arnaut Danjuma (11)
First contact in the box: César Tárrega (5), Hugo Duro (4), Mouctar Diakhaby (2), Arnau Martínez (1), José Luis Gayà (1)
What each player does in the phases, counted over the window. Only lines that clear a minimum count are shown.
The comparison behind the report: each behaviour as a rate per opportunity, ranked among the 20 La Liga clubs' full seasons, with how many of the 10 matches sat on the same side of the league median. "Style" is never a verdict.
| behaviour | Valencia | league median | rank | matches | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| style | cutback per 100 final third phases | 5.0/100 | 2.7/100 | 1 / 20 | 8/10 | |
| style | turnovers won by stopping a counter | 6% | 4% | 1 / 20 | 8/10 | |
| weakness | balls lost in midfield that led to an opponent shot | 11% | 6% | 1 / 20 | 6/10 | |
| weakness | giveaways that led to an opponent shot within 15s | 5% | 3% | 2 / 20 | 8/10 | |
| style | layoff per 100 progression phases | 0.1/100 | 0.9/100 | 20 / 20 | 9/10 | |
| weakness | build-up giveaways per 10 build-up phases | 3.3/10 | 2.4/10 | 1 / 20 | 7/10 | |
| weakness | balls lost from a settled possession that led to an opponent shot | 8% | 4% | 2 / 20 | 8/10 | |
| weakness | turnovers the opponent turned into a fast attack | 28% | 23% | 1 / 20 | 7/10 | |
| style | open-play shots created by long balls | 12% | 4% | 1 / 20 | 6/10 | |
| weakness | PPDA, strict (opponent passes in their own 60% per committed ball-winning action) | 18.6 | 14.9 | 1 / 20 | 8/10 | |
| style | final-third entries played by a full-back | 11% | 21% | 20 / 20 | 8/10 | |
| style | turnovers lost in midfield | 30% | 25% | 1 / 20 | 7/10 | |
| weakness | build-ups that carried on into the next third under control | 39% | 49% | 20 / 20 | 7/10 | |
| weakness | balls won in midfield that produced a shot | 2% | 7% | 20 / 20 | 9/10 | |
| weakness | middle-third phases that progressed into the final third | 60% | 68% | 19 / 20 | 8/10 | |
| weakness | turnovers won that were turned into a fast attack (final third within 10s) | 17% | 23% | 20 / 20 | 9/10 | |
| style | switch of play per 100 build up phases | 0.5/100 | 2.2/100 | 20 / 20 | 9/10 | |
| weakness | high transitions per 10 turnovers won | 0.7/10 | 0.9/10 | 20 / 20 | 6/10 |
| phase | route | times | shot | their average |
|---|
| split | behaviour | a | b | p | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| against the more aggressive pressers vs the deeper / passive sides | chance-creation phases that produced a shot | 41% | 25% | 0.0174 | |
| against the more aggressive pressers vs the deeper / passive sides | build-up giveaways that led to an opponent shot within 15s | 12% | 4% | 0.0496 | |
| when trailing vs when level | build-up exits by carrying it out | 21% | 6% | 0.0109 | |
| second half vs first half | middle-third phases that progressed into the final third | 66% | 52% | 0.0417 |
| date | opponent | result | npxG | opponent press | what happened |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-08-22 | vs Celta Vigo | D 0-0 | 0.6–0.6 | mid-intensity press | Drew 0-0 (0.59 v 0.59 xG). Celta Vigo pressed at roughly league-average intensity (strict PPDA 15.2, league median 15.0). Biggest departure from their norm: build-up exits with a long ball 13%, far below their usual 36%. |
| 2026-08-25 | vs Real Betis | L 0-1 | 1.3–0.7 | pressed aggressively | Lost 0-1 and the chances agreed (1.25 v 0.71 xG). Real Betis pressed harder than a typical La Liga side does (strict PPDA 11.1, league median 15.0). Biggest departure from their norm: build-up exits down the left 27%, far below their usual 38%. |
| 2026-08-30 | at Deportivo | L 1-3 | 1.1–1.2 | mid-intensity press | Lost 1-3 and the chances agreed (1.09 v 1.16 xG). Deportivo pressed at roughly league-average intensity (strict PPDA 16.9, league median 15.0) and went long on 76% of their own build-ups. Biggest departure from their norm: opponent final-third phases that created 29%, far below their usual 47%. |
| 2026-09-06 | vs Barcelona | L 0-5 | 0.5–3.7 | pressed aggressively | Lost 0-5 and the chances agreed (0.47 v 3.70 xG). Barcelona pressed harder than a typical La Liga side does (strict PPDA 11.4, league median 15.0). Biggest departure from their norm: non-penalty xG conceded 3.70 xG, far above their usual 1.27 xG. |
| 2026-09-11 | at Sevilla | L 0-1 | 0.1–0.8 | mid-intensity press | Lost 0-1 and the chances agreed (0.14 v 0.83 xG). Sevilla pressed at roughly league-average intensity (strict PPDA 14.8, league median 15.0) and went long on 56% of their own build-ups. Biggest departure from their norm: final-third phases that created (box entry or key pass) 33%, far below their usual 45%. |
| 2026-09-15 | at Alaves | W 1-0 | 1.0–1.0 | mid-intensity press | Won 1-0, chances 0.96 v 1.02 xG. Alaves pressed at roughly league-average intensity (strict PPDA 16.5, league median 15.0) and went long on 73% of their own build-ups. Biggest departure from their norm: final-third phases that created (box entry or key pass) 57%, far above their usual 45%. |
| 2026-09-20 | vs Real Sociedad | L 2-3 | 1.7–1.6 | pressed aggressively | Lost 2-3 and the chances agreed (1.70 v 1.60 xG). Real Sociedad pressed harder than a typical La Liga side does (strict PPDA 9.3, league median 15.0). Biggest departure from their norm: giveaways that led to an opponent shot within 15s 12%, far above their usual 5%. |
| 2026-10-11 | at Racing Santander | D 2-2 | 1.3–1.1 | pressed aggressively | Drew 2-2 (1.28 v 1.11 xG). Racing Santander pressed harder than a typical La Liga side does (strict PPDA 11.7, league median 15.0). Biggest departure from their norm: giveaways regained within 5s (counter-press) 14%, far below their usual 25%. |
| 2026-10-17 | vs Athletic Club | D 0-0 | 1.1–0.7 | pressed aggressively | Drew 0-0 (1.09 v 0.66 xG). Athletic Club pressed harder than a typical La Liga side does (strict PPDA 11.9, league median 15.0) and went long on 54% of their own build-ups. Biggest departure from their norm: chance-creation phases that produced a shot 58%, far above their usual 33%. |
| 2026-10-24 | vs Villarreal | L 1-2 | 0.5–1.4 | pressed aggressively | Lost 1-2 and the chances agreed (0.45 v 1.36 xG). Villarreal pressed harder than a typical La Liga side does (strict PPDA 12.3, league median 15.0). Biggest departure from their norm: build-ups that carried on into the next third under control 22%, far below their usual 40%. |