A struggling Valencia outfit are all set to host Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid in Matchday 12 of La Liga on Saturday.
Real Madrid will look to make it five wins in a row in La Liga when they hit the road to square up against Valencia at Mestalla. Meanwhile, Los Che will be eager to build on their win last time out and jump out of the drop zone.
The home team are 19th on the table with just nine points in their 11 outings. Javier Aguirre’s men have only won two league games so far and have the joint-worst attacking record (only 8 goals) in the competition.
However, they are heading into this fixture on the back of a 1-0 win over Elche, which will certainly give them some confidence as it was their first win since mid-September. While Valencia will be optimistic, taking down an in-form Real Madrid team will be a tall order.
Meanwhile, the visitors are third on the points table with 27 points in their 11 games, with nine wins and two defeats. While they were a touch inconsistent prior to the last international break, the Merengues have been on a roll of late.
Jose Mourinho’s charges have won their last four league outings and are on a seven-game winning streak heading into this one. They scripted yet another dramatic comeback to secure all three points against AEK Athens in their last outing. While his team had to dig deep, Jose Mourinho will hope they can get the job done without much trouble here. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could deploy.
The home team will be without the services of Sergi Canos (knee), Diego Lopez (knee), and David Otorbi (hamstring). Meanwhile, Jose Manuel Copete is a doubt as he recovers from a knee issue.
Valencia are expected to line up in a 4-1-4-1 formation vs Real Madrid, with Stole Dimitrievski starting in goal. Arnau Martinez and Jose Gaya should occupy the full-back positions, while Cesar Tarrega is likely to pair up with Pepelu in the heart of the defence.
As for the midfield unit, Guido Rodriguez is expected to operate as the holding midfielder, providing protection to the back four. Pablo Maffeo and Luis Rioja should feature on the flanks, with Aaron Mayol and Javi Guerra occupying the central midfield positions.
Finally, Umar Sadiq is likely to lead the line as Valencia look to make the most of the limited chances that will come their way.
Probable Lineup (4-1-4-1): Dimitrievski; Martinez, Tarrega, Pepelu, Gaya; Rodriguez; Maffeo, Mayol, Guerra, Rioja; Sadiq
Jose Mourinho made wholesale changes to his team for the AEK Athens game, so expect quite a few of his stars to return to the XI here. However, he does remain without the services of Rodrygo (knee), Ferland Mendy (hip), and Raul Asencio (leg), with the trio in the treatment room. Meanwhile, Vinicius Junior will serve the final game of his four-match domestic suspension.
Real Madrid are expected to line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation vs Valencia, with Thibaut Courtois starting in goal. Federico Valverde and Marc Cucurella should occupy the full-back positions, while Ibrahima Konate is likely to line up alongside Dean Huijsen in central defence.
As for the midfield unit, Aurelien Tchouameni and Bernardo Silva are expected to form the double pivot in the centre of the park, providing defensive cover while helping Real Madrid control possession and the tempo of the game.
Arda Guler and Yan Diomande should feature on the flanks, with Jude Bellingham operating in the number ten role behind Kylian Mbappe, who will spearhead the Real Madrid attack vs Valencia on Saturday night.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Courtois; Valverde, Konate, Huijsen, Cucurella; Tchouameni, Bernardo; Guler, Bellingham, Diomande; Mbappe
After a slow start to life at Real Madrid, Diomande has finally picked up pace and has been one of their standout performers in recent weeks. The 19-year-old has not let the Real Madrid fans feel the absence of Vinicius Junior.
He now has eight goal contributions in his 15 outings across competitions. With the Ivorian winger set to start on the left flank yet again, he will be eager to add to his tally and keep his place in the starting XI, considering Vinicius is now on the verge of returning from his domestic suspension.
Valencia may have gained some confidence from their win over Elche, but their home record remains a major concern. Los Che are yet to win a La Liga game at Mestalla this season and have struggled badly in front of goal.
Facing a Real Madrid side that has won seven consecutive matches will be a completely different challenge, especially given the hosts’ defensive vulnerabilities. Los Blancos have been in excellent form and possess far too much attacking quality for a struggling Valencia side.
Valencia could find the net, but Jose Mourinho’s men should have enough quality to extend their winning run. The Hard Tackle predicts a 3-1 win for the away team.
