La Liga Preview: Real Valladolid - Real Madrid

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Real Madrid coach Bernd Schuster ponders updating his résumé as his job at the Bernabéu now hangs on a thread after the humiliating exit in the Copa del Rey to Real Unión (Marca)

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• Real Madrid
• Valladolid

On any other week, a meeting between Real Valladolid and Real Madrid would hardly be considered the kind of encounter to set Spain's Primera Division alight. On Saturday, though, all eyes will be on the modest 26,000-plus capacity José Zorilla stadium, as this clash could prove to be one of the key talking points of the season for at least one team.

Crisis? Yes, Crisis!

When the two sides met at the Nuevo José Zorrilla last term, Valladolid had the privilege of ending Real Madrid’s 100% start to the season when they held the Merengues to a surprise 1-1 draw. This coming Saturday, they could have the privilege of ending Bernd Schuster’s tenure as coach of the reigning La Liga champions.

Numerous sports papers across Spain have speculated that the German-born trainer will be shown the exit door if Madrid fail to win on Saturday. Some have even already taken the liberty to name a few potential replacements, with Frank Rijkaard and Juande Ramos heading the list of candidates.

However, inside the confines of the Bernabéu, things do not appear to be as critical as the press would have you believe. Schuster himself, for instance, has displayed all the confidence in the world of keeping his job, while club president Ramón Calderón and various influential figures in the dressing room have all thrown their support behind the coach.

Yet the squad as a whole have been sending mix messages over the past few weeks regarding the true extent of their predicament. While the likes of Raúl, Fabio Cannavaro and Gabriel Heinze have accepted that the team are having problems performance-wise, there are others such as Pepe and Gonzalo Higuaín who are adamantly refusing to acknowledge there’s any sort of crisis.

Whatever the case, there’s no denying that things have gone from bad to worse in a very short time. Back-to-back defeats to Juventus in the Champions League and unconvincing displays against Almería and Málaga in la Primera culminated with last Tuesday’s humiliating elimination from the Copa del Rey on the away-goals rule at the hands of Segunda B outfit Real Unión.

Injuries have also ravaged the squad from back to front and it has robbed Schuster of the opportunity to nurture the team’s consistency. Pepe, Cannavaro and Sergio Ramos are all struggling to maintain full fitness from one game to the next; Guti and Wesley Sneijder, both back to top condition only recently, have yet to rediscover their form, while the misery of Arjen Robben’s never-ending injury was compounded by the recent news that Ruud van Nistelrooy will be out of commission for the rest of the season.

Fortunately for Madrid, and Schuster in particular, their opponents this weekend, Valladolid, do not have the best track record against the capital giants.

Can History Save Schuster?

These sides have met a total of 76 times in La Liga, but Valladolid have only won on 13 occasions. And, of the 38 times the clash has been contested at the Zorrilla, the Pucelas have just a measly 10 wins to show for themselves.

If that doesn’t make things daunting enough for the humble Castile and León outfit, they are currently going through an equally wretched run of form. Sitting five spots from the foot of the table, José Luis Mendilibar’s side have won just twice in their last eight competitive games, losing four times and drawing the other two.

One of those victories, however, was the impressive come-from-behind 3-2 triumph over Sevilla two weeks ago. With a heightened sense of confidence, they then travelled to Barcelona the following week hoping for another scalp - instead, they ran into an inspired Samuel Eto’o, who rattled in four first half goals to help the Blaugrana to a 6-0 rout.

The Blanquivioletas are unlikely to suffer a similar pounding against a Madrid side low in self-esteem. If anything, they have a real chance of securing their 14^th ever league win over Los Blancos. And, with an opportunity to pile more misery on the country’s most successful club, they will not be short of motivation.

FORM GUIDE

Real Valladolid

Nov 12 Valladolid 2-2 Hércules Alicante (COPA DEL REY)

Nov 08 Barcelona 6-0 Valladolid (LA LIGA)

Nov 02 Valladolid 3-2 Sevilla (LA LIGA)

Oct 29 Hércules Alicante 1-5 Valladolid (COPA DEL REY)

Oct 26 Getafe 1-0 Valladolid (LA LIGA)

Real Madrid

Nov 11 Real Madrid 4-3 Real Unión (COPA DEL REY)

Nov 08 Real Madrid 4-3 Málaga (LA LIGA)

Nov 05 Real Madrid 0-2 Juventus (CHAMPIONS LEAGUE)

Nov 02 UD Almería 1-1 Real Madrid (LA LIGA)

Oct 30 Real Unión 3-2 Real Madrid (COPA DEL REY)

TEAM NEWS

Real Valladolid

Unlike Madrid, Valladolid only had one major injury concern heading into this clash. Defender Iñaki Bea, who was ruled out for the midweek Copa del Rey match with a muscular annoyance, was deemed to be doubtful at first but after completing Thursday’s training session without a hitch, he is expected to be reinstated to the starting berth.

Midfielder Pedro León has returned to full fitness following a bout of gastroenteritis a week ago while Jesús Rueda has also completed recovery from his injury, leaving Mendilibar with a full strength squad to choose from.

Probable Starting XI (4-2-3-1): Asenjo – Pedro López, García Calvo, Bea, Marcos (c) – Rubio, Medunjanin – Pedro León, Cannobio, Sesma – Goitom

Real Madrid

The big news is, ofc ourse, Ruud van Nistelrooy’s possible nine-month lay-off after undergoing a knee operation. Compatriot Arjen Robben is still sidelined for at least four more weeks as he recovers from a muscle tear in his right calf and the pair will be joined by Mahamadou Diarrá, who picked up a thigh injury last Saturday. 

Centre-back trio, Pepe, Christoph Metzelder and Cannavaro are all carrying various niggles and their availability will not be known until just before the squad list is announced, although the latter looks certain to recover.

Sergio Ramos has used the midweek cup game to serve out the suspension from the red card he picked up last weekend against Málaga and he will thus be available for selection pending a late fitness test.

Probable Starting XI (4-3-3): Casillas – Sergio Ramos, Cannavaro/Javi García, Heinze, Marcelo – Sneijder, Gago, Guti – Higuaín, Raúl (c), Drenthe

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Real Madrid

Sure, Bernd Schuster isn’t a player but you can bet that the television cameras will be focussed on him as frequently as they would on any of his players out on the pitch. Although most of his work would have been done off the playing field prior to the game, there will still be a great interest to observe how he directs his troops from the sidelines. Raúl and Gonzalo Higuaín have scored eight of the team’s last nine goals between them and they will once again shoulder the goalscoring duties.

Real Valladolid

New summer arrival Fabián Cannobio was the hero a fortnight ago against Sevilla, when he netted twice to orchestrate his team’s comeback win. The Uruguayan attacking midfielder has struggled to make the starting line-up on a regular basis but he has often been cleverly utilised as a super-sub. Striker Henok Goitom may not be the most prolific or flashiest of goalscorers, but he has enough experience to trouble the wobbly Merengue rearguard.

PREDICTION

As appalling as Madrid’s backline have been in recent weeks, they actually have the third best defensive record in the league away from home. They will be relieved to know that Valladolid have the fourth worst goalscoring record at present.

Still, a drastic improvement in defence will be Los Blancos’ immediate and number one priority as their vulnerability at the back has already given them far too much grief this season. But for Schuster, three points will be all that matters at this stage.

Real Valladolid 2-3 Real Madrid

KS Leong