Real Madrid will be aiming to make it four straight wins in all competitions when they continue their La Liga campaign away to basement side Real Valladolid on Saturday night.
Los Blancos are currently top of the La Liga table, boasting 46 points from their opening 20 matches of the campaign, and Carlo Ancelotti's side will be facing a Real Valladolid outfit that are currently bottom of the division on 15 points.
Match preview
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Real Valladolid boast a record of four wins, three draws and 13 defeats from their 20 La Liga matches this season, which has left them bottom of the division on 15 points ahead of the visit of the Spanish champions.
It is not quite time to hit the panic button, with the team only five points behind 17th-placed Alaves, but there is no question that they are currently locked in a relegation battle, and a big effort is required to move out of the bottom three.
Diego Cocca's side will enter the match off the back of a 2-1 defeat to Espanyol, but they have actually won their last two league games in front of their own supporters, beating both Valencia and Real Betis.
Pucela finished second in the 2023-24 Segunda Division to secure a return to this level of football, and they are aiming to make it successive campaigns in the top flight of Spanish football for the first time since 2021.
Real Valladolid have lost each of their last six La Liga matches against Real Madrid, including a 3-0 reverse at Bernabeu earlier this season, while they have not managed to overcome Los Blancos since November 2008 on home soil.
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Real Madrid were stunned by Barcelona in the final of the Spanish Super Cup on January 12, losing 5-2 in El Clasico, but their response to that result has been excellent, winning their next three against Celta Vigo, Las Palmas and Red Bull Salzburg.
Los Blancos are through to the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey, while Wednesday's 5-1 success over Salzburg in the Champions League secured at least a playoff spot ahead of their final match in the league phase away to Brest next week.
Ancelotti's team recorded a 4-1 win over Las Palmas in the league last weekend, meanwhile, and Atletico's surprise loss to Leganes opened the door for Real Madrid to move two points clear of Diego Simeone's side at the top of the table.
Real Madrid may be second by the time that this match kicks off, as Atletico face Villarreal earlier in the afternoon, but they are also seven points ahead of third-placed Barcelona, which is a healthy lead at this stage of the season.
There have been signs of Real Madrid clicking as an attacking force in recent matches, and they will be expecting to win their next two in the league against struggling Real Valladolid and Espanyol before welcoming Atletico to Bernabeu on February 8.
Team News
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Raul Moro and Juma Bah are two players to be heavily linked with moves away from Real Valladolid, with the latter thought to be closing in on a move to Manchester City.
Real Valladolid released a statement earlier this week claiming that Bah was in breach of contract for failing to turn up for training, and the 18-year-old is highly unlikely to be involved for the strugglers this weekend, with the La Liga team also accusing Man City of "appearing to advise" the youngster to take the controversial steps.
Moro, meanwhile, suffered a fractured collarbone in the team's last game against Espanyol, so a winter transfer for him is off, while the forward will also be unavailable for selection for a lengthy period.
Stanko Juric will also be a notable absentee for the league's basement side, with the midfielder suspended due to the milestone yellow card that he was handed against Espanyol.
As for Real Madrid, Eduardo Camavinga, Eder Militao and Dani Carvajal are out of the match through injury, while Vinicius Junior is unavailable for selection through suspension.
Aurelien Tchouameni was an unused substitute against Salzburg due to a minor muscular problem, but the France international is expected to be back in the middle of the Real Madrid midfield this weekend.
Lucas Vazquez should be back in the team at right-back, having been suspended for the team's Champions League game on Wednesday, with Federico Valverde returning to the middle of midfield.
David Alaba should continue his recovery from a long-term absence off the bench, while Brahim Diaz is expected to be the player to benefit from Vinicius' suspension, with the Morocco international likely to join Rodrygo and Kylian Mbappe in the final third of the field.
Real Valladolid possible starting lineup:
Hein; Perez, Ozkacar, J Sanchez, Rosa; Perez, Ndiaye, Martin; Tuhami, Andre, Amallah
Real Madrid possible starting lineup:
Courtois; Vazquez, Asencio, Rudiger, Mendy; Valverde, Tchouameni, Bellingham; Rodrygo, Mbappe, Brahim
We say: Real Valladolid 0-2 Real Madrid
Vinicius' absence is a huge blow for Real Madrid, and Real Valladolid have recently been strong at home. That said, we are finding it incredibly difficult to predict anything other than an away success, with Ancelotti's side entering the match in strong form.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Matt Law
