Real Madrid Travel to Face Struggling Valencia at Mestalla in La Liga
Real Madrid travel to face Valencia at Mestalla on Saturday in La Liga, aiming to temporarily equal Barcelona's points tally at the top of the table.
The 12th matchday of La Liga kicks off on Friday with Sevilla facing Alaves, but all eyes are on Saturday night as Real Madrid visit Valencia at Mestalla. Carlo Ancelotti's side aims to secure a victory to temporarily level points with league leaders Barcelona and apply pressure ahead of the Catalan side's clash with Atletico Madrid.
Real Madrid enter the fixture on a seven-match winning streak across all competitions since their derby defeat, establishing themselves as clear favorites. Los Blancos have triumphed at Mestalla in their last two visits. Meanwhile, Valencia languishes in the relegation zone, having earned just two points from 18 possible at home this season. Javier Aguirre's squad secured their maiden league win last week against Elche.
Real Madrid will be without Vinicius Junior, who serves the final match of his domestic suspension following past racial abuse incidents at the stadium. Dean Huijsen and Arda Guler are expected to return to the starting lineup, alongside Federico Valverde. Aurelien Tchouameni is included in the squad but remains doubtful for the opening whistle.
Additional Saturday fixtures feature Malaga hosting Racing Santander, Espanyol meeting Deportivo La Coruna, and Osasuna squaring off against Athletic Bilbao. The weekend concludes on Sunday, highlighted by the high-stakes encounter between Atletico Madrid and Barcelona.
