Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the La Liga match.
Real Madrid remain firmly in the title hunt, sitting just three points behind Barcelona. Their upcoming fixture against Valencia presents a key opportunity to keep the pressure on their direct rivals. However, the visitors have shown improved consistency and could capitalise on the home side’s fatigue following an exhausting Copa del Rey tie.
Real Madrid
Real Madrid have won three league matches on the bounce, though defensive vulnerabilities continue to surface. They conceded twice to CD Leganés, and once each against Rayo Vallecano and Villarreal CF. The defensive lapses were particularly exposed in the Copa del Rey, where three of the four goals conceded to Real Sociedad came from individual mistakes by Andriy Lunin and David Alaba. Despite this, their attacking output remains impressive — 62 goals scored, the second-highest tally in the league, with Kylian Mbappé contributing 22. In the reverse fixture earlier in the season, Real Madrid narrowly defeated Valencia with a late goal (2:1).
Valencia
Valencia arrive in strong form, unbeaten in four matches and having claimed eight points from a possible twelve. The squad has made notable strides going forward, having scored in 13 of their last 14 games. Diego López has stood out in particular, finding the net in four successive outings. Nonetheless, their defensive record remains a concern — with 46 goals conceded, only UD Las Palmas (48) and Real Valladolid (65) have fared worse.
Real Madrid vs Valencia Prediction
Real Madrid are clear favourites, though the recent 120-minute cup match could take its toll. While the hosts are expected to take their chances in front of goal, Valencia, revitalised under their new manager, should also manage to score. As such, backing both teams to find the net looks a strong option.
