Valencia vs. Real Madrid: Issues and Decisions That Will Shape La Liga Game
In acknowledgment of Real Madrid's Club World Cup success in December, Valencia will give their visitors a guard of honour on Sunday.
However, the sold out Mestalla—the venue for Madrid’s Copa del Rey success over Barcelona last season—will hope the respect ends there.
Los Che lost some ground on the leaders before Christmas, but Peter Lim's takeover and Nuno Espirito's clever management have helped restore belief to a club that should at the very least be playing Champions League football.
They'll believe they can beat the European champions this weekend.
Madrid, meanwhile, will be hoping the new year can be as successful as the one the preceded it, which yielded four trophies for the club.
Over the following slides, B/R will take a look at some issues that may play their part in the match.
The Enzo Perez Effect
1 of 5
News broke earlier this week that Valencia would sign Benfica midfielder Enzo Perez; on Sunday, he could make his debut against Real Madrid.
Nuno may have preferred to use him from the bench, but Javi Fuego's one-game suspension may mean Perez goes straight into the side.
Perez cost Los Che around £20 million—they met his release clause—and he is set to link up with former Benfica team-mate Andre Gomes in midfield.
And if the Argentinian, 28, can replicate the start Gomes has made at Mestalla, the Madrid midfield without Luka Modric will certainly have a battle on its hands.
Madrid Edging Closer to Record
2 of 5
You may have changed your 2014 calendars for 2015 ones, but the change in year hasn't brought an end to Real Madrid's winning run.
Carlo Ancelotti's side lost to AC Milan earlier this week, but as it was a friendly, their 22-match winning streak remains firmly intact.
In Los Blancos' sight is Brazilian side Coritiba's record of 24 straight wins, which was set in 2011, per Madrid-based newspaper AS.
This record is ratified by Guinness World Records.
If Madrid can remain focused on Sunday, they'll move onto 23 wins, with a Copa del Rey clash against city rivals Atletico Madrid then standing in their way of equaling the record.
The January 10 clash with Espanyol at the Bernabeu would then become their chance to break it.
Given the relentless determination on display throughout their current run, you wouldn't bet against them.
Mestalla and Fast Starts
3 of 5
When it comes to home form in La Liga, nobody has accrued more points than Barcelona and only Sevilla remain unbeaten.
However, Valencia's record at Mestalla is up there.
Barca have picked up 21 points from eight matches at Camp Nou, while Los Che have earned 19 from the same amount of games.
Their only defeat came at the hands of the Catalans, courtesy of a cruel stoppage-time goal from Sergio Busquets, in a game Valencia could argue they shaded.
Atletico Madrid were well beaten and 3-0 down inside 13 minutes, so Real Madrid will have to be prepared for Valencia to come flying out of the blocks.
It is for that reason Nuno, his players and the 55,000 sell-out crowd will not fear Madrid this weekend.
They believe Valencia should be competing at the top; this is their team's chance to prove it.
Ancelotti's Selection
4 of 5
Unlike Luis Enrique at Barcelona, Carlo Ancelotti's Real Madrid team selections have been quite consistent.
He tends to prefer Iker Casillas in goal, a back four of Dani Carvajal, Pepe, Sergio Ramos and Marcelo, a midfield featuring Luka Modric, Toni Kroos and James Rodriguez, and his usual forward line is Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema.
However, he won't be able to deploy that team this weekend.
Modric is definitely absent, although he may be back later this month, and Manu Sanz of AS suggests that Ancelotti has concerns over both Ramos and Marcelo.
It could mean starts for Raphael Varane, Fabio Coentrao and Isco—not bad replacements.
Jese Rodriguez is also finding fitness again and could make his first league appearance of the season, perhaps as a second-half substitute if Madrid are chasing the points.
Christmas Rustiness
5 of 5
While players tend to struggle with the amount of games over Christmas in England, professionals in Spain are granted some time off to put their feet up and enjoy the company of their friends and families.
Players then return to training at the end of the year—some players who live further afield don't return until the new year.
For example, Barcelona's South American players who are set to play in the Copa America later this year—such as Neymar and Lionel Messi—only returned to training on Friday morning, two days before their team is set to face Real Sociedad.
Therefore, players may not be completely at their best when they return to domestic action.
For Madrid, who played a friendly against AC Milan earlier during the break, it may not be a problem, but both sides will have to be careful about making a delayed start to 2015.
