Spain - Copa del Rey
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Played
January 15, 2013 8:00 PM GMT
Estadio Santiago Bernabéu — Madrid
Referee:‬ César Muñiz‎
Attendance:‬ 65000‎
 
37′ Karim Benzema
 
73′ (OG) Jose Andrés Guardado
 

Real Madrid - Valencia Preview: Blancos look to bounce back in cup clash

The defending Liga champions go into the first of three back-to-back encounters against los Che bereft of confidence following an insipid goalless draw against Osasuna

By Karthick Arvinth

More On :  Real Madrid CF, Valencia CF, Real Madrid CF vs Valencia CF
Benzema / Real Madrid - Real Sociedad
Benzema abrió el marcador a los 2' / Getty
  PROBABLE LINEUPS

REAL MADRID

Adan
Arbeloa, Albiol, Varane, Coentrao
Khedira, Alonso
Di Maria, Ozil, Ronaldo
Benzema
VALENCIA

Alves
Pereira, Rami, R Costa, Guardado
Banega, T Costa
Piatti, Parejo, Jonas
Soldado

Real Madrid welcome back Cristiano Ronaldo and Antonio Adan from suspension for Tuesday's Copa del Rey quarter-final first leg against Valencia at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Defender Sergio Ramos remains sidelined, however, as he serves the second of his five-match ban, while Pepe is injured.

Left-back Marcelo could make his first appearance for the club since suffering a broken foot in October but Fabio Coentrao is the more likely starter.

Valencia are set to be without captain David Albelda, who picked up a calf problem in Saturday's 2-0 win over Sevilla.

Sergio Canales (knee) and Jeremy Mathieu (Achilles) remain out, while Sofiane Feghouli has joined up with Algeria for the African Cup of Nations.

  DID YOU KNOW?
  • Real Madrid have won just two of their last six matches in all competitions (W2, D2, L2).
  • The Castilian giants are on a 32-match unbeaten run at the Santiago Bernabeu in all competitions.
  • Should Madrid overcome Valencia, they will face the winner of the Barcelona-Malaga tie in the semi-final.
  • Valencia have won seven of their last eight matches across all competitions.
  • Los Che have lost five of their last seven meetings with Madrid.
  • Roberto Soldado (pictured, right) has scored eight goals in his last eight appearances for Valencia.

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Field Report
Reader's Predictions
Top 3 Predictions
  • Real Madrid CF 3-1 Valencia CF
    19.85 %
  • Real Madrid CF 3-0 Valencia CF
    8.65 %
  • Real Madrid CF 2-1 Valencia CF
    8.6 %
Head to Head
Spain - Copa del Rey ‎(ESPC)‎ Jan 23, 2013 Valencia CF 1 - Real Madrid CF 1
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Spain - Primera Division ‎(LIGA)‎ Jan 20, 2013 Valencia CF 0 - Real Madrid CF 5
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Spain - Copa del Rey ‎(ESPC)‎ Jan 15, 2013 Real Madrid CF 2 - Valencia CF 0
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Spain - Primera Division ‎(LIGA)‎ Aug 19, 2012 Real Madrid CF 1 - Valencia CF 1
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Spain - Primera Division ‎(LIGA)‎ Apr 8, 2012 Real Madrid CF 0 - Valencia CF 0
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Last Five Matches
Real Madrid CF
May 17, 2013Real Madrid CF 1 - Atletico Madrid 2ESPC
May 11, 2013Espanyol 1 - Real Madrid CF 1LIGA
May 8, 2013Real Madrid CF 6 - Malaga 2LIGA
May 4, 2013Real Madrid CF 4 - Valladolid 3LIGA
Apr 30, 2013Real Madrid CF 2 - Borussia Dortmund 0UCL
Valencia CF
May 18, 2013Getafe 0 - Valencia CF 1LIGA
May 12, 2013Rayo Vallecano 0 - Valencia CF 4LIGA
May 4, 2013Valencia CF 4 - Osasuna 0LIGA
Apr 28, 2013Real Sociedad 4 - Valencia CF 2LIGA
Apr 20, 2013Valencia CF 5 - Malaga 1LIGA
Odds
Returns: Real Madrid £13.33 PaddyPower Sign up to Paddy Power for £250 in free bets
Returns: Draw £510.00 Bet365 Sign up with bet365 for a free bet up to £200
Returns: Valencia £4010.00 Bet365 Sign up with bet365 for a free bet up to £200
Team News
Available Squads
1Iker CasillasGoalkeeper
2Ricardo CarvalhoDefender
18Raúl Albiol TortajadaDefender
12MarceloDefender
14Xabi AlonsoMidfielder
16Luka ModricMidfielder
5Michael EssienMidfielder
10Mesut ÖzilMidfielder
6Sami KhediraMidfielder
7Cristiano RonaldoStriker
9Karim BenzemaStriker
22Ángel Di MaríaMidfielder
13AdánGoalkeeper
17ArbeloaDefender
15Fabio CoentraoDefender
20Gonzalo HiguaínStriker
21CallejónStriker
19Raphaël VaraneDefender
13GuaitaGoalkeeper
4Adil RamiDefender
47João PereiraDefender
18Víctor RuizDefender
18Jose Andrés GuardadoMidfielder
10Ever BanegaMidfielder
24Tino CostaMidfielder
21ParejoMidfielder
9Roberto SoldadoStriker
7JonasStriker
14Pablo PiattiStriker
20Aly CissokhoDefender
12BarragánDefender
1Diego AlvesGoalkeeper
8Fernando GagoMidfielder
-Jonathan VieraMidfielder
18Haedo ValdézStriker
20Ricardo CostaDefender
Players to Watch
Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo
Position: Striker
Squad Number: 7
Games Goals YC RC
7 7 4 1
The Portuguese's absence during the weekend was sorely felt as Madrid laboured to a goalless draw at Osasuna to virtually extinguish any faint hopes they might have had of retaining the Liga title. Ronaldo will need to lead from the front and produce a couple of matchwinning performances if they are to see off an in-form Valencia side.
Roberto Soldado
Roberto Soldado
Position: Striker
Squad Number: 9
Games Goals YC RC
4 2 1 0
The Spain international will hope to continue his hot goalscoring form after netting three times in his last two matches. Soldado has the quality to capitalise on any lapses from Madrid's unfamiliar-looking central defensive pairing of Raphael Varane and Raul Albiol.
Probable Lineups
Iker Casillas 1
Ricardo Carvalho 2
Raúl Albiol Tortajada 18
Marcelo 12
Xabi Alonso 14
Luka Modric 16
Michael Essien 5
Mesut Özil 10
Sami Khedira 6
Cristiano Ronaldo 7
Karim Benzema 9
Guaita 13
Adil Rami 4
João Pereira 47
Víctor Ruiz 18
Jose Andrés Guardado 18
Ever Banega 10
Tino Costa 24
Parejo 21
Roberto Soldado 9
Jonas 7
Pablo Piatti 14
Prediction
Ronaldo's return will invigorate Madrid, who simply cannot afford to lose the first leg at home given their woeful away form of late. Valencia will look to punish the hosts on the counterattack but may just fall short here.
Editor's Prediction
Real Madrid 2
Valencia 1
Results
ALL MATCHES >>
 
Top Scorers
Player   Goals Penalties
Diego Costa Diego Costa
Striker
Atl. Madrid 		8 4
Cristiano Ronaldo Cristiano Ronaldo
Striker
Real Madrid 		7 1
Negredo Negredo
Striker
Sevilla 		6 3
David Villa David Villa
Striker
Barcelona 		5 0
Lionel Messi Lionel Messi
Striker
Barcelona 		4 0