On Saturday night, struggling Valencia will face Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu, with the aim of winning La Liga for the fourth consecutive time. After 10 matches, Los Blancos sit at the top of the table with 5 points more than second-placed Barcelona. Meanwhile, Valencia is in 18th place with only 9 points.
Match Preview
Real Madrid’s Dominance:
Last week, Real Madrid secured an important 3 points by defeating their arch-rivals Barcelona 2-1 at the Bernabéu. This victory strengthened their position at the top of the table. Under Xavi Alonso, the team has been near-perfect this season, winning 9 of their 10 matches. Their only defeat in La Liga came against city rivals Atlético Madrid. Additionally, they have won all three of their group-stage matches in the Champions League.
Since Barcelona does not play before Sunday, a win for Real Madrid would extend their lead over their rivals to 8 points. This match comes just before their away fixture against Liverpool in the Champions League.
Historically, Real Madrid has won 111 out of 211 matches against Valencia. However, last season, they unexpectedly lost 2-1 at the Bernabéu. They will therefore enter this match with a determined mindset, aiming for a sixth consecutive win across all competitions.
Valencia’s Struggle:
Although Valencia boosted morale with a 5-0 win over Marassana in the first round of the Copa del Rey, their start in La Liga has been disappointing. They currently sit 18th in the league table. Carlos Coberan’s team lost 2-0 at home to Villarreal last week. With 2 wins, 3 draws, and 5 losses from 10 matches, they are just 2 points above bottom-placed Girona.
Valencia finished 12th last season and has only managed to be in the top ten once in the past three seasons. They last finished in the top four in the 2016-19 seasons. Despite a rich history, Valencia is currently far from being a team that can challenge in European competitions.
Recent Form:
Real Madrid: W, W, L, W, W, W | L, W, W, W, W, W
Valencia: W, D, L, L, D, L | L, D, L, L, D, W
Team News:
Real Madrid: Dani Carvajal (knee surgery) and Antonio Rüdiger (serious muscle injury) will be unavailable. David Alaba (leg muscle) will be assessed before the match. Trent Alexander-Arnold has returned and may appear as a substitute. Eduardo Camavinga could start again following an excellent performance against Barcelona, with Federico Valverde potentially playing at right-back. Vinicius Junior apologized for his reaction after being substituted against Barcelona and is expected to join Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappé in attack.
Valencia: Mouctar Diakhaby, Largi Rama Jani, and Dimitri Foulquier are out with injuries. Lucas Beltrán and Filip Ugrinic’s fitness will be checked before the match. Arnout Danzuma and Hugo Duro, who have each scored four goals this season, will lead the attack. Veteran José Gayà will be a key figure in defense, while Baptiste Santamaría will feature in midfield.
Possible Starting Lineups:
Real Madrid: Courtois; Valverde, Militão, Heisen, Carreras; Gular, Chouameni, Camavinga; Bellingham; Mbappé, Vinicius.
Valencia: Agirrezabala; Correia, Tarega, Copete, Gayà; Rioja, Pepelu, Santamaría, Lopez; Duro, Danzuma.
Our Take:
Valencia can still make this match challenging for Real Madrid, as they did last season. However, Los Blancos are currently in flying form. It is expected that the home side will secure all three points.
Prediction: Real Madrid 3-1 Valencia