| Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid | |
| MATCH | La Liga |
| DATE | 09 - 11 - 2026 |
| TIME | 01.30 AM IST |
| STADIUM | Riyadh Air |
Valencia vs Real Madrid Preview: Los Blancos Aim to Extend Winning Run in La Liga
La Liga 2026-27 | Match Preview, Team News, Recent Form and Prediction
Real Madrid will travel to the Mestalla Stadium to face Valencia in an important La Liga encounter as they look to continue their impressive winning run and close the gap on league leaders Barcelona. Meanwhile, Valencia are desperate to collect valuable points as they attempt to move away from the relegation zone.
The two teams enter this fixture in contrasting form, with Real Madrid enjoying a successful run under Jose Mourinho, while Valencia are struggling for consistency during a difficult campaign.
Match Preview
Valencia Looking to Build on Recent Victory
Valencia have endured a disappointing start to the 2026-27 La Liga season, with just nine points from their opening 11 matches leaving them in 19th position in the standings.
Los Che have struggled in both attack and defence, particularly in front of goal. They have scored only eight goals so far, making them one of the lowest-scoring teams in the division.
Their lack of attacking efficiency has been a major concern, and the club are already facing the possibility of a difficult battle to avoid relegation.
However, Valencia received a much-needed confidence boost in their previous league fixture, securing a narrow 1-0 victory over Elche. Umar Sadiq came off the bench to score the decisive goal and deliver three important points for his team.
Javier Aguirre will now hope his players can build on that performance and record consecutive league victories for the first time since May.
Playing at Mestalla could provide Valencia with an additional advantage, although facing Real Madrid will be a considerably tougher challenge.
Valencia also have a busy schedule approaching, with a Copa del Rey fixture against Tavernes scheduled for November 10, just before the international break.
Their recent record against Real Madrid has been disappointing, as they lost both La Liga meetings during the 2025-26 campaign. Their most recent encounter at Mestalla ended in a 2-0 defeat.
Nevertheless, Valencia supporters can take encouragement from their memorable 2-1 victory at the Santiago Bernabeu in April 2025. They will be hoping to produce another surprise against the Spanish giants.
Real Madrid Target Another Important Victory
Real Madrid arrive at Mestalla in excellent form after winning their previous seven matches across all competitions.
Jose Mourinho's side have recovered impressively from their 2-1 defeat against Atletico Madrid before the last international break, winning their subsequent four La Liga fixtures.
Los Blancos currently occupy third position in the league standings, having collected nine victories and suffered two defeats from their opening 11 matches.
They are three points behind Barcelona and will be determined to maintain pressure on the leaders.
Their latest Champions League encounter produced another entertaining performance, with Real Madrid recording a 3-2 victory over AEK Athens on Wednesday.
The result marked their fourth victory in the 2026-27 Champions League League Phase, putting them in a strong position to qualify for the next round.
One of their most important domestic results came at the end of October, when Mourinho's men defeated Barcelona 2-1 in El Clasico.
Another three points against Valencia would move Real Madrid level with Barcelona on 30 points, increasing the pressure at the top of the table.
With Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham and Federico Valverde available, Real Madrid possess enough attacking quality to trouble Valencia's defence.
However, Mestalla is traditionally a difficult venue, and Madrid will need to remain disciplined if they want to continue their winning streak.
Valencia vs Real Madrid Head-to-Head
Real Madrid have historically dominated this fixture, recording 114 victories compared with Valencia's 59 wins. Another 43 meetings between the clubs have ended in draws.
Los Blancos also enjoyed the better results in last season's league meetings, winning both encounters against Valencia.
However, Valencia have demonstrated in previous seasons that they can compete with Real Madrid, particularly when playing in front of their home supporters.
The visitors will enter the match as favourites, but Valencia will be determined to make the contest difficult.
Recent Form
Valencia La Liga form: W, L, D, D, L, W
Valencia form in all competitions: W, L, D, D, L, W
Real Madrid La Liga form: W, L, W, W, W, W
Real Madrid form in all competitions: W, W, W, W, W, W
Real Madrid have been considerably more consistent, winning six consecutive matches across all competitions according to their recent form record. Valencia, meanwhile, are still searching for the consistency required to climb away from the bottom of the table.
Team News
Valencia Team News
Valencia will have to manage several injury concerns ahead of their important home fixture against Real Madrid.
Sergi Canos and Diego Lopez are unavailable because of knee injuries, while David Otorbi remains sidelined with a hamstring problem.
Jose Manuel Copete is also doubtful as he continues his recovery from a knee issue.
There is positive news regarding Umar Sadiq, who has returned from a hamstring injury and made an immediate impact against Elche by scoring the winning goal.
The striker is now expected to earn a starting position after his impressive substitute appearance.
Harvey Elliott is another player available for selection after completing his suspension. However, it remains uncertain whether the Liverpool loanee will immediately return to the starting lineup.
Valencia will need their attacking players to deliver an improved performance if they are to trouble Real Madrid's defence.
Real Madrid Team News
Real Madrid will be without several important players for the trip to Valencia.
Rodrygo remains unavailable with a knee injury, while Raul Asencio is recovering from a leg problem and Ferland Mendy continues to deal with a hip injury.
Vinicius Junior will also miss the match as he serves the final game of his domestic suspension.
There is encouraging news regarding Arda Guler and Aurelien Tchouameni, who were left out of the Champions League match against AEK Athens but have been confirmed as starters for this encounter.
Dean Huijsen and Ibrahima Konate are also expected to feature in central defence.
Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham will continue to play important roles in the attacking setup, while Federico Valverde is expected to return to the starting lineup after scoring the late winner against AEK Athens.
Valverde's energy and attacking contributions could prove particularly important against a Valencia side likely to defend deep.
Match Prediction: Valencia vs Real Madrid
Real Madrid enter this fixture as strong favourites because of their outstanding recent form and superior squad quality.
Valencia will have the advantage of playing at Mestalla, and their recent victory over Elche should provide some confidence. However, their attacking struggles could make it difficult to compete against Madrid's defensive organisation.
Mbappe and Bellingham have the quality to create scoring opportunities, while Valverde's ability to contribute from midfield gives Mourinho additional attacking options.
Valencia may put up a determined fight, but Real Madrid should have enough quality to secure another important three points.
Predicted Score: Valencia 1-3 Real Madrid
Real Madrid are expected to control the match, create more clear-cut opportunities and continue their impressive winning run in the 2026-27 La Liga campaign.