Real Madrid can move into first place in La Liga on Friday if they win their away match at Valencia’s Mestalla stadium. The hosts are second to last in the Spanish top flight while the visitors need just a point to reach the top. Los Che are four points behind 17th-placed Getafe and recently appointed Carlos Corberan as new head coach following the departure of Ruben Baraja. Four points from two home games in their last two meetings with Real is pretty good for Valencia, but this team hasn’t won since the end of November. With just two points from their last five games, it’s no wonder they chose to bring in a new tactician with nine points from eight home games, a worrying return even though Real have only won four out of nine outside so far. Carlo Ancelotti’s men need a point to take the lead but will be aiming for a 13th La Liga win of the year after winning the FIFA Intercontinental Cup last month. The Copa del Rey and Spanish Supercopa are next for Real, but first they need to work on their overall domestic form which has fluctuated.
Here are our storylines, how to watch the game and more:
How to watch and odds
- Date: Friday January 3 | Time: 3 p.m. ET
- Location: Mestalla – Valencia, Spain
- Watch: ESPN Sports | Flow: Fubo (try for free)
- Odds: Valencia +750; Draw +375; Real -275
This season so far
Real leads Atletico Madrid by a single point and leads Barcelona in third by two while Valencia are not above bottom Real Valladolid numerically. Two wins, six draws and nine defeats put Los Che 19th on 12 points while Los Blancos scored 40 points from 18 games with a win over Sevilla before the winter break. This late match, caused by flooding in Valencia earlier in the season, could be the moment when Real take the lead.
Team News
Valencia: José Gaya, Mouctar Diakhaby and Thierry Correia are all out while Fran Perez is doubtful and Giorgi Mamardashvili could also miss out, which would mean a departure for Stole Dimitrievski. Pepelu is suspended while Yarek Gasiorowski could line up in defense against one of his many admirers.
Valencia XI possible: Dimitrievsky; Foulquier, Mosquera, Gasiorowski, Rioja; Barrenechea, War; D Gomez, Almeida, D López; Hard.
Real: Vinicius Junior is back from suspension so David Alaba, Eder Militao and Dani Carvajal are the only ones absent. Ancelotti could make two changes, with Fran Garcia and Vini potentially replacing Dani Ceballos and Brahim Diaz after the Sevilla victory.
Possible Real XI: Courteous; Vazquez, Tchouameni, Rudiger, F Garcia; Camavinga, Valverde; Rodrygo, Bellingham, Vinicius; Mbappé.
Prediction
This one should be pretty easy for Real and a winning margin of one or two goals seems OK, although Real will be hoping the new coach bounces back. Take: Valence 0, Real 2.
