Defending La Liga champions Real Madrid will look to keep the pressure up on league leaders Barcelona with a win over Valencia on Saturday.
Real Madrid will be eyeing a fourth straight win in La Liga when they host Valencia, who are fighting for survival in the Spanish top flight.
The home team are second in the league standings, with 63 points in their 29 outings. They are three points behind rivals Barcelona, with just nine games to go. Carlo Ancelotti’s team cannot afford to drop points if they want to stay alive in the title race.
The Merengues are heading into this fixture on the back of a hard-fought 4-4 draw against Real Sociedad in the Copa del Rey. While Carlo Ancelotti’s men couldn’t win on the night, they did secure a place in the final thanks to the aggregate scoreline. Now, they will be looking to claim all three points against Valencia.
The visitors are 15th on the table with just 31 points in their 29 games. Los Che have not been at their best, but a few impressive performances recently have kept them clear of the relegation zone.
Valencia are four points clear of the drop zone, and they are unbeaten in their last four league games (W2 D2). Having secured a 1-0 win over RCD Mallorca last time out, they will be confident of getting something out of this game against Los Blancos, but it won’t be easy. The Hard Tackle takes a close look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could use.
Team News & Tactics
Real Madrid
The home team remain without the services of Thibaut Courtois, Eder Militao, Dani Carvajal, Ferland Mendy, Dani Ceballos, and Jesus Vallejo. Andriy Lunin is dealing with a calf issue, and while reports indicate he could still start, there is a chance that reserve goalkeeper Fran Gonzalez might make his Real Madrid debut against Valencia.
Carlo Ancelotti will stick to the 4-4-2 formation, where the back four will consist of Lucas Vazquez, Raul Asencio, Antonio Rudiger, and Fran Garcia. They will look to put up a much better defensive display than they did last time out.
Federico Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni should feature as the two central midfielders. They will look to shield the backline and control the tempo of the game. Meanwhile, Rodrygo and Jude Bellingham should feature on the flanks, providing width to their attacks and support to their full-backs. In the final third, Kylian Mbappe should return to the starting XI and partner with Vinicius Junior.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Gonzalez; Vazquez, Asencio, Rudiger, Fran Garcia; Rodrygo, Valverde, Tchouameni, Bellingham; Mbappe, Vinicius
Valencia
The visitors will be without the services of Thierry Correia because of a calf injury. Meanwhile, Dimitri Foulquier, Jose Gaya, and Luis Rioja are all suspended for this fixture.
Carlos Corberan will be forced to make a minimum of three changes to the XI that secured a 1-0 win over Mallorca last time out. He will stick to the 4-2-3-1 formation, where Giorgi Mamardashvili will be in goal.
Jesus Vazquez and Yarek Gasiorowski could feature as the full-backs for this outing, with Cesar Tarrega and Cristhian Mosquera pairing up at the heart of the defence.
As for the midfield unit, Javi Guerra and Enzo Barrenechea will form the double pivot in the middle of the park. They will shield the Valencia backline and ensure the Real Madrid midfielders do not dominate the proceedings.
In the final third, Andre Almeida could feature as the attacking midfielder, while Fran Perez and Diego Lopez will be providing the much-needed width to their attacks. Umar Sadiq should lead the line for Valencia against Real Madrid.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Mamardashvili; Vazquez, Tarrega, Mosquera, Gasiorowski; Guerra, Barrenechea; Perez, Almeida, Diego Lopez; Sadiq
Key Stats
- Valencia have been unbeaten in their last four La Liga outings.
- Real Madrid have won each of their last three La Liga games.
- Valencia have the poorest away record in La Liga this season, failing to win any of their 14 matches and collecting just seven points.
- The visitors haven’t been relegated from the top flight since 1986.
- Los Blancos won the reverse fixture 2-1 at the Mestalla.
Player to Watch
Jude Bellingham
The English international has 24 goal contributions in his 40 outings this term. The youngster has been one of their standout performers, and Carlo Ancelotti will hope he finishes the season in a similar fashion. Having bagged a goal in their last league outing, the 21-year-old will be eager to add to his tally in this fixture as well.
Prediction
Real Madrid 2-1 Valencia
Los Blancos might have some defensive issues, but they have a star-studded attack, which still helps them get the desired results. While the home side have not been at their best this season, they are still a force to reckon with. Having won their last three La Liga games, they will be confident about claiming all three points in this fixture.
While Valencia will push hard to get something out of this fixture, they might not have enough in their tank to stop the team in white. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-1 win for Carlo Ancelotti and his charges.
