Valencia Club de Fútbol head into Saturday’s pre-season friendly against CD Castellón with three straight wins under their belts in the 2026-27 campaign. The match, which kicks off at 20:00 CET at Estadi Antonio Puchades with gates opening at 19:00, follows a 3-0 victory over CD Eldense that gave the team a clear competitive lift ahead of the LaLiga EA SPORTS curtain-raiser. Last season’s ninth-place finish-49 points (13W-10D-15L) and 46 goals scored, 55 conceded-left the side 45 points adrift of Barcelona, so every minute in these friendlies counts.
What happened in the first pre-season outing?
Valencia CF opened their pre-season on 21 July with a commanding 3-0 win over CD Eldense, a freshly promoted side in LALIGA HYPERMOTION. The game at the same venue served as a live-system test, giving the new-look squad a chance to blend attacking ideas with defensive structure after a 2025-26 campaign that averaged 1.21 goals per match.
Why is this Castellón clash more than just another friendly?
This is the third straight pre-season meeting between Valencia CF and CD Castellón, a fixture that has quietly grown into a mini-rivalry. The ‘orelluts’, who battled through last year’s promotion play-off to LaLiga EA SPORTS, arrive with ex-Valencia CF Mestalla man Hamza Bellari in their ranks and former Valencia CF player Pablo Hernández (2008-12) now in charge on the bench.
What’s next for Valencia CF?
Tonight’s clash streams live on the club’s official app, website and YouTube channel, giving the coaching staff another chance to fine-tune tactics and blood new faces. With the gates opening at 19:00 and kick-off at 20:00, the focus is squarely on fitness and cohesion before the real grind of the new league campaign begins. After finishing 45 points behind Barcelona in the final 2025 table, every competitive minute counts as the pre-season march toward matchday one continues.
