Real Madrid vs Valencia
, KO: 19:00 Jan 11, 2023, King Fahd International Stadium
After losing at Villarreal last Saturday, Real Madrid will be seeking a swift return to winning ways when they host Valencia in the Spanish Super Cup semi-final.
Real Madrid are coming off a defeat as they were beaten 2-1 at Villarreal in La Liga last Saturday. They were surprisingly second best to the hosts and failed to build on Karim Benzema's second half penalty.
That result leaves Real Madrid two points off the pace in La Liga but manager Carlo Ancelotti will be keen to turn his attention to picking up the first piece of silverware of the season. They had claimed three straight wins prior to that defeat and will be targeting a swift return to winning ways.
While Real Madrid will be confident of setting things right on Wednesday, their defensive vulnerability will be a source of worry. They have been shaky at the back lately and have conceded in seven of their last nine matches across all competitions.
The Spanish Super Cup will come as a welcome distraction for Valencia, who have been out of sorts for much of the season.
Things have been particularly bad for Valencia in recent weeks as they have lost four of their last five matches across all competitions. Gennaro Gattuso’s men have lost their last two La Liga fixture and were beaten 1-0 by Cadiz last Friday.
Like Real Madrid, Valencia have also struggled to maintain their discipline at the back this season. They have failed to keep a clean sheet in eight of their last 10 matches across all competitions.
How the bookies view it
Real Madrid are considered overwhelming favourites among the bookies with a win priced at 6/11 by SBK. A victory for Valencia is valued at 5/1 by William Hill while a draw is set at odds or 10/3 by bet365.
Recent head to head
Real Madrid often come out on top in this fixture and have won five of the last six meetings. They did the double over Los Che last season, winning 2-1 at the Mestalla before claiming a 4-1 victory at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Players to watch
Karim Benzema has been in good form since La Liga resumed and has scored three goals in his last two matches. The French striker has also found the net seven times in the last five meetings with Valencia and is priced at 8/11 with bet365.
Edinson Cavani has been a hit since moving to Valencia, scoring five goals in nine appearances. The Uruguayan striker could be worth keeping an eye on to score anytime on Wednesday at 3/1 with bet365.
Anything else catch the eye?
The last meeting between Real Madrid and Valencia produced over 3.5 goals and a repeat is priced at 15/8 with Paddy Power. Over 2.5 goals can also be considered at 8/11 with bet365 while both teams could be backed to score at 11/13 with SBK.
It was a one-sided victory for Real Madrid in the last meeting and they could be backed in the -1 handicap market at 7/5 with Unibet. Karim Benzema has opened the scoring in four of the last five clashes with Valencia and could be tipped to open the scoring on Wednesday at 11/4 with bet365.
This match between Real Madrid and Valencia will be played on Jan 11, 2023 and kick off at 19:00. Check below for our tipsters best Real Madrid vs Valencia prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
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