Three talking points ahead of Real Valladolid vs Real Madrid | La Liga GW 21 | OneFootball

On Saturday night, the top-placed and bottom-placed La Liga teams face off in the Spanish league in a game between teams in two polar extremes.

Real Madrid, sitting pretty on 46 points, are in their best moment of the season and have scored 14 goals in their last three games.

Their opponents on the night, Real Valladolid, languish in 20th place with just 15 points after 20 games and have lost six of their last nine games across all competitions.

Real Madrid are undefeated against Real Valladolid in their last 16 head-to-head games and have won their last six consecutive matches against the opposition. Taking to the field tomorrow at Estadio Jose Zorrilla, they will look to further those records.

Madrid Universal brings you three talking points ahead of Real Valladolid vs Real Madrid.

Back on the road

Real Madrid have participated in four competitions in January and barely have played two consecutive games in the same competition.

The new year began with their postponed La Liga fixture before they turned their eye towards the Spanish Super Cup.

Upon returning from Saudi Arabia, they once again had their next three games in the Copa del Rey, La Liga and the UEFA Champions League respectively.

While Los Blancos’ last three matches may have been in three different events, the one factor that united all three nights was the stadium as they took on Celta Vigo, Las Palmas and RB Salzburg all at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Saturday’s game finally sees the men in white return on the road and they will not get back to the comfort of home for a long time.

The clash against Real Valladolid is the start of a long schedule on the road for the defending champions. They next take on Brest, Espanyol and Leganes all away from home and will only return to the Bernabeu for the Madrid derby in February.

Real Madrid will thus look to kick off their away leg on a high with a win tomorrow night, for their results over the next four games will have a critical role to play in their title hopes.

The false alarm

Fully fit and ready to go. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

Lucas Vazquez sat out Los Blancos’ clash against RB Salzburg earlier this week owing to a suspension, forcing Carlo Ancelotti to count on Federico Valverde at right-back.

While the midfielder did do a good job in his makeshift position, news of Vazquez’s potential injury in training came as a massive concern.

The Spanish defender, after all, was rumoured to have discomfort with his hamstring and the prognosis, thus, did not appear great.

As relayed earlier today, however, Vazquez has suffered no injury and the news of his blow was only a false alarm. The player did indeed face discomfort in his thigh, but it has only been narrowed down to a niggle.

Vazquez has thus been included in Ancelotti’s squad for tomorrow’s clash and the player is expected to start against Real Valladolid at Jose Zorrilla. With the fitness concern behind him, he will look to recover his best defensive version.

Time to consolidate

Real Madrid’s dominant win over Las Palmas was massive from the point of view of the La Liga standings, for both Atletico Madrid and Barcelona dropped points on the matchday.

20 games into the campaign, Carlo Ancelotti’s men finally climbed to the apex of the league standings and currently sit in pole position on 46 points. Atletico Madrid follow closely on 44 while Barcelona are on 39.

Now firmly placed in the driver’s seat, Real Madrid have the league race in control and the aim now will be to consolidate their position at the top by extending their lead.

Playing the last-placed Real Valladolid on a matchday when Barcelona face Valencia and Atletico Madrid take on Villarreal gives the Merengues good odds of improving their lead at the top.

Given that both their competitors are unlikely to take part in the two extra games in the UCL knockout phase, Real Madrid must look to establish a dominant enough lead so that their surplus fixtures do not affect the standings.

Winning every game at this point, thus, is crucial and will take the club closer to their dream title defence.