Valencia vs. Real Madrid: Match Preview, Odds & Prediction

On Saturday night, Real Madrid will travel to the Mestalla to face Valencia, who need a key La Liga response.

Previous Matches and Head-to-head

The hosts, the Bats, are embroiled in yet another public controversy, even if several Valencians may have begun the current season with the intention of making a serious push for Europe.

The heat is on Ruben Baraja after a troubling 3-2 home defeat to Valencia on their return from the international break in October. Los Ches are understandably under a great deal of scrutiny heading into Saturday's return match at the Mestalla. They now sit in last place in La Liga and face a huge uphill struggle this season.

Valencia failed to win any of their eleven La Liga matches this season, opening the new campaign with a 2-1 loss to Barcelona on August 17th. This could be another tough test for Baraja's mellow team, who ended September with a simple 3-0 thrashing at Real Sociedad.

Real Madrid are looking for a much-needed lift here after suffering what will be regarded as a historic El Clasico thrashing in the capital last weekend. Carlo Ancelotti's squad has been the target of public criticism after their 4-0 loss to Barcelona last week.

Despite Los Blancos' incredible 5-2 Champions League comeback win against Stuttgart last week, the former AC Milan manager will be more concerned about his team's persistent defensive issues. Since returning from the two-week break, Saturday's visitors—who opened October with a shocking 1-0 defeat away at Lille—have gone without a clean sheet. Actually, since September 14th, the reigning Spanish champions have only kept one clean sheet in their past nine matches across all competitions.

Valencia x Real Madrid Team News

Spanish midfielder Pepelu is out for the rest of the season after receiving a straight red card in a match earlier this month against Las Palmas. Just like Rafa Mir, who joined from Sevilla in the summer, will sit out this weekend due to an injury.

However, key defender Jose Gaya will continue to play at left back despite earning his La Liga debut last weekend away at Getafe. Hugo Duro will be Valencia's primary goal scorer despite only scoring twice in all competitions this season.

Dani Carvajal, a seasoned Real Madrid defender, will miss the rest of the season after undergoing knee surgery during the international break in October. The ex-Bayern Munich player is still sitting on the bench, even though David Alaba has downplayed rumours of an early retirement.

Attacking talisman Vinicius Junior will play here, despite the fact that he was controversially passed over for the Ballon d'Or on Monday night. Kylian Mbappe, who joined Real Madrid in a summer transfer, will lead the push for Los Blancos. He has scored six goals in La Liga since making the move.

Our Predictions

Real Madrid win & Both teams to score @ 3.4 on Sky247.ng

After last weekend's humiliating 4-0 loss to archrivals Barcelona, Real Madrid will be looking to get back on track quickly. With six points separating them from the championship hunt going into Saturday's match, Ancelotti's squad will be under a great deal of pressure. They should be sensing a good opportunity, even though Los Blancos could be looking for some important defensive steel. Our money is on an away victory for Valencia on Saturday night since they currently occupy the bottom spot in La Liga and have not won a single top-flight match since mid-April.

Elevate your betting experience with SKY247 Nigeria. Join now and discover a thrilling world of sports, live events, and exclusive bonuses. Bet with confidence on your favourite teams and games.