Real Madrid vs Valencia prediction: SPAIN: LaLiga betting tips on match 2023-02-01 20:00.
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti raised eyebrows by describing Sunday’s La Liga (LL) 0-0 draw against Real Sociedad as “one of our best performances of the season”. Their first home league clean sheet of the campaign secured the point, but drawing their first blank at any venue this league season left them five points behind Barcelona at the top of the standings following the last matchday.
Ancelotti also erroneously thought Real Madrid had won more points (42) than they had at the same stage last season (43) but he’ll regardless know they can’t afford many more slip-ups. This is no more true than at home, where they remain unbeaten in LL since March 2022 (W8, D4). Alarm bells will sound should they fail to beat Valencia though, not least because they have not lost a home H2H since March 2008 (W11, D5).
A win for the managerless visitors would cause enormous shock as they continue chasing their first league victory since the World Cup (D1, L3) after a last minute goal denied them a point against Real Valladolid on Sunday (L 1-0). Following that defeat, and an ugly confrontation with a cameraman, manager Gennaro Gattuso left the club earlier this week with Valencia entering this matchday just one point above the relegation zone.
Valencia captain Toni Lato admitted after the game that “these are difficult situations” as they also go on the hunt for their first LL away win since early October (D2, L2). Three of those four fixtures saw them concede after the 85th minute, ultimately costing them four LL points, so interim boss Voro Gonzalez – who has been Valencia’s caretaker for several previous stints over the last 15 years – will be desperate for his players to stay the distance.
Players to watch: Four of Rodrygo’s last five goals for Real Madrid arrived after the 65th minute so he could inflict more late misery on Valencia. Samuel Lino has scored four goals for Valencia this term, three of them arriving before the 50th minute, including one in the Super Cup H2H earlier this month.
Hot stat: Prior to the round, no team had scored more set piece goals in LL away games this term than Valencia’s four.