Valencia have a rare chance to dominate their brothers and rivals in the derby of the bats

Valencia have a chance to achieve a seemingly impossible feat: to beat their rivals Levante in both La Liga game of the season. Even though this is the 16th season in which the two biggest Valencian clubs were competing in La Liga, we're yet to see either Valencia or Levante winning both Derby del Turia matches. That could finally change tonight.

Valencia won 4-3 when these teams met at Estadi Ciutat de Valencia earlier in the season and will have a chance to build on that in front of their fans at Mestalla. Exerting dominance in their city would be a consolation prize for the team and the fanbase that's still hurting after their heart-breaking penalty defeat to Betis in the Copa del Rey final last weekend. If you cannot rule the world, at least try to rule your own backyard.

The record in this derby is firmly on the side of the hosts. They won 15 games and lost eight, with another eight being draws. Of those eight Levante wins, neither came at Mestalla. But the red and blues can't afford to let their opponents have all the fun and chase their goals - because they have worries of their own. Staying in the division will be a difficult task in case of a reverse against Jose Bordalas' team. Granotes (or The Frogs, as they like to call themselves) are currently second-bottom, seven points adrift of the much-desired 17th place in the standings.

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But despite the rivalry between the two clubs, they are not enemies. You will hardly hear stories about violence among their supporters or hatred pouring out of their players. Spanish journalists asked Levante's Italian coach Allesio Lisci whether Valencia would maybe help his team by not trying to hard. He said that he'd expect the opposite.

"I know that some fans like to speak about some sort of brotherhood between the clubs, but football is a competitive sport, one where you go to win. If I were a Valencia player, I'd go out onto the pitch to try and relegate Levante. It's clearer than water. Football is like that. Rivalries have to exist - it's the beauty of football. The derbies are interesting because there is rivalry. Without them, football would not be what it is. I would never expect Valencia to let us win, and we wouldn't let them win either."

Spain's third-biggest city is home to two La Liga clubs, with Valencia CF and Levante UD playing a massive role in the daily life of its 800,000 residents for the last 100 years. Tonight's match could prove pivotal for The Frogs.

LA LIGA

Friday

Sevilla - Cadiz 1-1 (1-0)

/En Nesyri 7 - Perez 66/

Saturday

15.00: (3.50) Alaves (3.35) Villareal (2.30)

17.15: (1.56) Real Madrid (4.40) Espanyol (6.75)

19.30: (2.40) Valencia (3.35) Levante (3.30)

22.00: (3.15) Ath.Bilbao (3.05) Atl.Madrid (2.65)

Sunday

15.00: (3.00) Elche (3.05) Osasuna (2.75)

17.15: (2.90) Granada (3.10) Celta (2.60)

19.30: (3.20) Rayo Vallecano (3.10) Sociedad (2.45)

22.00: (1.35) Barcelona (5.30) Mallorca (8.00)

Monday

22.00: (2.81) Getafe (2.90) Betis (2.90)

***odds are subject to change