7M - Preview: Valencia vs. Real Madrid

Real Madrid aims to secure their seventh consecutive win in La Liga as they face Valencia at Mestalla on Sunday evening. Currently, Los Blancos sit second in the league, just one point behind defending champions Barcelona, while Valencia finds themselves in 16th place.

Match Preview

Valencia has struggled this season with a record of five wins, eight draws, and nine losses, accumulating 23 points. They are just one point clear of the relegation zone but only three points off ninth-placed Osasuna. Recent form shows improvement, with two wins in their last three league matches against Getafe and Espanyol, although they suffered a 2-1 loss to Real Betis earlier in February.

Valencia's recent Copa del Rey match ended in disappointment as Athletic Bilbao eliminated them with a 2-1 defeat in the quarter-finals. At home this season, Valencia has earned 17 points from 11 league matches, but they face a formidable challenge against a Real Madrid side that boasts the second-best away record, having secured 24 points from their last 11 games.

In their earlier encounter this season, Real Madrid defeated Valencia 4-0, and last year's meeting at Mestalla ended 2-1 in favor of Los Blancos. However, Real Madrid has only won one of their last three visits to this venue, with prior results including a 2-2 draw in March 2024 and a 1-0 defeat in May 2023.

With Real Madrid knocked out in the last-16 stage of the Copa del Rey, they've had a week of preparation for this match following their 2-1 victory over Rayo Vallecano in La Liga. Under the management of Alvaro Arbeloa, Real Madrid is now on a strong run, having won their last six league games against various opponents including Alaves, Sevilla, and Villarreal.

As of now, Madrid is closely trailing Barcelona in the title race, and the gap could widen to four points if Barcelona secures a win against Mallorca on Saturday. Madrid has two crucial league matches ahead, including a home game against Real Sociedad on February 14, followed by a Champions League knockout round clash against Benfica on February 17.

Possible Lineups:

Valencia:
Dimitrievski; Foulquier, Comert, Copete, Gaya; Rioja, Urginic, Pepelu, Danjuma; Beltran, Duro

Real Madrid:
Courtois; Alexander-Arnold, Asencio, Huijsen, Carreras; Valverde, Tchouameni, Camavinga; Mastantuono, Mbappe, Brahim

Prediction: Valencia 1-2 Real Madrid

While Real Madrid will be missing key players for this match, they face a Valencia team with significant talent. Nevertheless, we anticipate that the title contenders will find a way to secure a vital victory this weekend.