Real Madrid vs Real Valladolid

Soon-to-be-former La Liga champions Real Madrid play host to season-long relegation fighters Real Valladolid at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu.

March’s international break has given Real Madrid a fortnight to recover from a heartbreaking 2-1 El Clasico defeat at Barcelona that probably ended their hopes of defending the league title. Stuck 12 points behind their arch-rivals, ‘Los Blancos’ are no longer relevant in the La Liga title race, with nothing but pride left to play for after moving 11 points clear of fifth-placed Real Betis. However, Carlo Ancelotti’s men will still be looking to complete the 2022/23 league season without losing a home match, having racked up eight wins and four draws in their first 12 top-flight games at the Bernabeu. Valladolid should pose no threat to Madrid’s flawless home form, considering ‘Los Merengues’ are unbeaten in their last 14 H2Hs in La Liga (W12, D2), averaging 2.4 goals per game in that stretch.

In the meantime, Real Valladolid entered the international break holding a slender two-point lead on 18th-placed Valencia after going winless in their last two league outings (D1, L1). As La Liga’s fourth-worst away side (W2, D2, L9), ‘Los Pucelanos’ will have to play out of their skin if they’re to snap a three-game winless league run on the road (D1, L2). That’s easier said than done, as they last won a top-flight match at the Bernabeu in 2000, picking up just two points in their 12 La Liga visits to Madrid since (D2, L10). Moreover, Valladolid’s proneness to falling apart in the later stages of play could be another significant setback, with Pacheta’s team conceding a league joint-high 14 goals inside the final 15 minutes of matches this term.