Real Madrid forced to start their February 'marathon' against an injured Valencia

Real Madrid begins its 'marathon' February against an injured Valencia

The whites, with a tight calendar without a margin, face some 'che' at home without Gattuso

MADRID, 1 Feb. (EUROPA PRESS) -

Real Madrid receives Valencia this Thursday (9:00 p.m.) in a duel corresponding to matchday 17 of LaLiga Santander -postponed by the Spanish Super Cup-, a match that the whites arrive with no margin of error if they want to follow in the footsteps of FC Barcelona, ​​now at 8 points, and with many doubts and injuries to complete the 'eleven', while the 'che' team, now without Gattuso, need to win to catch air in a situation that is already desperate.

Carlo Ancelotti's pupils pulled off one of their best games of the season last Sunday against Real Sociedad. Physical and football waste to complete a dynamic performance with a Ceballos as organizer and motor and the fantasy of Vinicius, Rodrygo and Benzema that was left without a prize. And it is that, although the game and the proposal convinced, it was not enough to take the victory at home (0-0).

This 'stumbling block', despite the improvement in style and identity that had been diluted in recent weeks, represents a slowdown in the race to catch up with Barça, who put pressure on them with their victory at the Benito Villamarín (1- 2) this Wednesday. Ancelotti is confident that the team will recover their mental and physical freshness in a month of February in which they will play at least 7 games in 24 days, including the first leg of the Champions League round of 16 against Liverpool and the derby against Atlético - February 21 and 26, respectively-.

The casualties of the injured Ferland Mendy, Lucas Vázquez -who will be in the dry dock until at least March- and David Alaba, who is still not one hundred percent, force Ancelotti to continue making bobbin lace in defense for the duel against Valencia. Militao and Rüdiger would face their seventh match in a row as the starting center-back pair, with Carvajal awaiting his turn upon returning from injury.

Camavinga would occupy the left lane again, after a demonstration of adaptation against Real, with the reliable Nacho on the right. Ancelotti will not take risks with Tchouameni, so Kroos would act as a defensive pivot along with Modric, who was a substitute on Sunday, and Valverde as insiders. Ceballos would start on the bench following the dosage of minutes, like Rodrygo, who would make way for Asensio on the right, accompanying the regulars Benzema and Vinicius.

The Brazilian winger would reach 200 official matches with Real Madrid against Valencia. A number of matches that only two legends such as Raúl González and Iker Casillas achieved when they were younger than the 22-year-old from Rio de Janeiro. In addition, this Thursday he can also score his 50th goal with the white team.

Valencia's poor return to competition after the World Cup, with only 1 point out of 12 possible in the League, ended up sentencing Gennaro Gattuso, who stopped being 'che' coach this Monday. The defeat (1-0), as unexpected as it was painful, against Real Valladolid this Sunday was the straw that broke the Valencian camel's back, with a team that hardly resembles the model that the Italian wanted to establish and that left sparkles at the start of the course.

Before falling to José Zorrilla, Valencia already showed symptoms of his 'illness' in the Copa del Rey quarterfinals against Athletic Club. Those with the bat knew how to react to a first blow from the 'lions', but they saw a team without soul or claw, unable to give their best version even with the fervent support of their fans to lose the match (1-3).

The draw (2-2) last week against Almería in a match that they had won was further proof of the meek team in defense and with little forcefulness in the rival area that Valencia had become. "These footballers compete well in training, there is a level and there will be a commitment to reverse the situation. I have no doubt that we are going to compete. There are 20 games left and we are going to fight," said Salvador González 'Voro', new coach with the mission of saving the club.

This Thursday Valencia, fourteenth one point from the descent, will also have history and statistics as a rival, which demonstrate black precedents. Those of Voro, who faces his eighth spell on the bench of the bat club, have not won at the Bernabéu since 2008 (2-3), when Ronald Koeman trained the Valencianistas and Bernd Schuster the whites.

In the sports field, Voro will have the confirmed casualties of Justin Kluivert, Nico González, Thierry Correia and Jaume Doménech. A revolution is not expected in their first 'eleven', with Mamardashvili in goal and a defensive line made up of Foulquier, the experience of Paulista, Diakhaby and captain Gayà. The engine room would fall to Guillamón, Musah and Almeida, with the alternative of Moriba. While, attending to the absences, Castillejo, Lino and Cavani point to the attacking trident.

REAL MADRID: Courtois; Nacho, Militao, Rüdiger, Camavinga; Kroos, Modric, Valverde; Asensio, Benzema and Vinicius.

VALENCIA: Mamardashvili; Foulquier, Diakhaby, Paulista, Gayà; Guillamón, Almeida, Musah; Castillejo, Cavani and Lino.

--REFEREE: Alberola Rojas (C. Castellano-La Mancha).

--Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.

--TIME: 21.00/DAZN.