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Valencia logo
La Liga
Jan 4, 2015 at 4pm UK
 
Real Madrid logo

2-1

Pepe (53' og.), Otamendi (65')
FT(HT: 0-1)
Ronaldo (14' pen.)

Preview: Valencia vs. Real Madrid

Sports Mole previews La Liga leaders Real Madrid's trip to the Mestalla to face Valencia.

Real Madrid will be looking for their 13th win in a row in La Liga when they travel to Valencia for their first league match since the winter break.

Carlo Ancelotti's side actually suffered their first loss in all competitions since September over the festive period, slipping to a 4-2 defeat in a mid-season friendly against AC Milan in Dubai.

Marcelo will need a late fitness test to determine whether or not he can play on Sunday, having picked up a thigh muscle problem in the FIFA Club World Cup last month, while Sergio Ramos is also a doubt.

The European champions have a Copa del Rey match against local rivals Atletico Madrid just three days later, so Ancelotti may be forced to rest the duo if there is any doubt over their fitness to ensure that they are ready for that fixture.

Luka Modric remains sidelined with a thigh problem, which is likely to keep him out until February, but James Rodriguez, who missed the last league match with a calf issue, should be back after coming through the Club World Cup final unscathed.

Visiting the Mestalla has proved tricky for teams in La Liga this season, with only Barcelona coming away with a win at Valencia so far this campaign.

As a result, Nuno Espirito Santo's side are fourth in the table, eight points behind the league leaders, who visit this weekend.

Valencia's last outing resulted in a 1-0 win over Eibar before Christmas, with Paco Alcacer scoring the only goal to give the side back-to-back wins in the league.

Sofiane Feghouli will be featuring for the final time before he joins up with Algeria's national side for the Africa Cup of Nations, but the home side will be without Javi Fuego after he picked up his fifth booking of the season in their last match, which could pave the way for new signing Enzo Perez to make his debut.

Real edged to a 3-2 victory in their match at Valencia last season, but their last meeting, at the Bernabeu in May, ended in a draw.

Valencia:

Form in La Liga: DLLDWW
Form in all competitions: LWDWDW

Possible starting lineup: Alves, Mustafi, Orban, Otamendi, Feghouli, Parejo, Piatta, Perez, De Paul, Negredo, Alcacer

Real Madrid:

Form in La Liga: WWWWWW
Form in all competitions: WWWWWL

Possible starting lineup: Casillas, Pepe, Ramos, Marcelo, Carvajal, Kroos, Rodriguez, Isco, Ronaldo, Benzema, Bale

Sports Mole says: 1-2


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A general view of Estadi de Mestalla prior to the UEFA Europa League Group A match between Valencia CF and Swansea City at Estadi de Mestalla on September 19, 2013
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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Barcelona13110240122833
2Real Madrid1283125111427
3Atletico MadridAtletico137511971226
4Villarreal127322319424
5Osasuna136341720-321
6Athletic Bilbao135531913620
7Real BetisBetis135531412220
8Real Sociedad135351110118
9Mallorca135351010018
10GironaGirona135351617-118
11Celta Vigo135262022-217
12Rayo Vallecano124441313016
13Sevilla134361218-615
14Leganes133551316-314
15Getafe142751011-113
16AlavesAlaves134181422-813
17Las PalmasLas Palmas133371622-612
18Espanyol123181122-1110
19Real ValladolidValladolid142391027-179
20Valencia11146817-97


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