Match preview

Real Valladolid boast a record of four wins, three draws and 13 defeats from their 20 La Liga matches this season, which has left them bottom of the division on 15 points ahead of the visit of the Spanish champions.

It is not quite time to hit the panic button, with the team only five points behind 17th-placed Alaves, but there is no question that they are currently locked in a relegation battle, and a big effort is required to move out of the bottom three.

Diego Cocca's side will enter the match off the back of a 2-1 defeat to Espanyol, but they have actually won their last two league games in front of their own supporters, beating both Valencia and Real Betis.

Pucela finished second in the 2023-24 Segunda Division to secure a return to this level of football, and they are aiming to make it successive campaigns in the top flight of Spanish football for the first time since 2021.

Real Valladolid have lost each of their last six La Liga matches against Real Madrid, including a 3-0 reverse at Bernabeu earlier this season, while they have not managed to overcome Los Blancos since November 2008 on home soil.

Real Madrid were stunned by Barcelona in the final of the Spanish Super Cup on January 12, losing 5-2 in El Clasico, but their response to that result has been excellent, winning their next three against Celta Vigo, Las Palmas and Red Bull Salzburg.

Los Blancos are through to the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey, while Wednesday's 5-1 success over Salzburg in the Champions League secured at least a playoff spot ahead of their final match in the league phase away to Brest next week.

Ancelotti's team recorded a 4-1 win over Las Palmas in the league last weekend, meanwhile, and Atletico's surprise loss to Leganes opened the door for Real Madrid to move two points clear of Diego Simeone's side at the top of the table.

Real Madrid may be second by the time that this match kicks off, as Atletico face Villarreal earlier in the afternoon, but they are also seven points ahead of third-placed Barcelona, which is a healthy lead at this stage of the season.

There have been signs of Real Madrid clicking as an attacking force in recent matches, and they will be expecting to win their next two in the league against struggling Real Valladolid and Espanyol before welcoming Atletico to Bernabeu on February 8.

Real Valladolid possible starting lineup:

Hein; Perez, Ozkacar, J Sanchez, Rosa; Perez, Ndiaye, Martin; Tuhami, Andre, Amallah

Real Madrid possible starting lineup:

Courtois; Vazquez, Asencio, Rudiger, Mendy; Valverde, Tchouameni, Bellingham; Rodrygo, Mbappe, Brahim