VALENCIA, Spain — Real Madrid travels to Mestalla on Saturday evening to face relegation-threatened Valencia, aiming to extend its recent momentum and temporarily claim first place in the La Liga standings.
Jose Mourinho’s squad enters the contest trailing league leaders Barcelona by three points after clawing back from a seven-point deficit earlier in the autumn. A victory would move Real Madrid level on points with the Catalan frontrunners and momentarily ahead before Barcelona takes on second-place Atletico Madrid on Sunday.
Surging Form Under Mourinho
Los Blancos enter Saturday riding a four-match domestic winning streak and a seven-game winning run across all competitions, according to reports from The Sporting News and Madrid Universal. Their most recent triumph came in the Champions League, where a stoppage-time strike from Federico Valverde sealed a 3-2 victory away at AEK Athens.
Midfielder Jude Bellingham has been central to that resurgence. The 23-year-old was named Real Madrid’s Player of the Month for October and scored via a backheel in the midweek victory in Greece. Bellingham has also historically troubled Valencia, tallying two goals and two assists in four career meetings, including a dramatic stoppage-time winner at Mestalla in January 2025.
Madrid Universal reported that Valencia manager Javier Aguirre has tested a five-man defensive line during training sessions to counter Madrid’s attack. Valencia sits near the foot of the table and faces a major challenge against a visiting squad that welcomes back Arda Guler and Aurelien Tchouameni to the lineup, as noted by SB Nation.
Real Madrid will still be without Vinicius Jr., who remains suspended for one additional contest following a red card received for pulling the hair of Nathan Saliba several weeks ago, The Sporting News reported.
A Final Visit to Mestalla
Saturday marks Real Madrid’s final scheduled league fixture at Mestalla, as Valencia prepares to relocate to a new venue next season, according to SB Nation. Unless the clubs cross paths in the Copa del Rey, the historic ground will host Madrid for the last time.
Kickoff is set for 9 p.m. local time (3 p.m. EST). Following the match, domestic leagues will pause for a FIFA international break, heightening the urgency for both clubs to secure points before the hiatus.
Title Race Implications
The outcome in Valencia will set the stage for Sunday’s top-of-the-table showdown in the capital. Barcelona currently leads the division with 30 points from 11 matches, holding a two-point advantage over second-place Atletico Madrid, which has amassed 28 points behind a seven-game league winning streak, Al Jazeera reported.
Hans-Dieter Flick’s Barcelona attack has produced 46 goals through 11 league matches, led by Raphinha’s 15 tallies. However, Barcelona will visit the Metropolitano without midfielder Rodri, who suffered a hamstring injury against Aston Villa and could miss up to a month, according to Spanish media cited by Al Jazeera.
Whether Real Madrid can capitalize on its momentum to put maximum pressure on both title rivals remains the central question as play gets underway at Mestalla.
