It took just 14 games for Real Madrid to sack Julen Lopetegui after a dreadful start to the season for the proud club in the heart of Spain. Lopetegui knew it was going to be tough to follow in the footsteps of Zinedine Zidane, who had won three consecutive Champions League titles, but the team wasn’t left with much of an option after he steered the team to a ninth place start in La Liga and a 4-2-4 record in league play to this point. Caretaker manager Santi Solari will lead the team into this match with Real Valladolid.
Don't miss the Spanish La Liga action from the Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid, Spain at 11:15 a.m. ET on Saturday, November 3, 2018. Catch every moment of the match live on beIN Sports.
La Liga Betting Odds at BookMaker.eu
Real Valladolid +1248
Real Madrid -526
Draw +624
Over/Under 3.5
Odds Analysis
Real Valladolid are off to a great start to the season. Early on, it seemed as if Real Valladolid would have trouble staying up this year. They had numerous problems with their pitch in their first game of the season, and that’s usually one of those ominous signs that a club isn’t ready for the bright lights of La Liga. Since then, Valladolid have responded with aplomb though. They have a 4-4-2 record and are in sixth place through 10 matches due to some very good defending. Valladolid have allowed just two goals in their last five La Liga tilts, and they are 4-1-0 in those matches.
The brass at Real Madrid know that they can kiss any hope of winning La Liga goodbye after this start. There is just too much ground to make up, and they are likely to turn their eyes towards the Champions League once more. They have lost three straight league matches heading into this one, and their loss in Camp Nou to rival Barcelona sealed Lopetegui’s fate. Real Madrid’s 5-1 drubbing was one of the worst defeats they had ever experienced in El Clasico, and it was a sign that Lopetegui had to go.
Injury Report
No one has been definitively ruled out for the side of Valladolid, but they may not have two players available for this match. Mohammed Salisu and Ivan Lopez Alvarez are both questionable with injuries. However, the club might get back Duje Cop and Keko for this match, and that would be a big boost.
Real Madrid will not have two of their starting defenders as they look to right the ship. Dani Carvajal and Raphael Varane have both been ruled out for this match, and they are both expected to return later in the month. Fellow starting defender Marcelo is listed as questionable, while Mariano Diaz and Jesus Vallejo are also questionable.
Coaching Angle
Solari’s debut match came Wednesday in Copa del Rey action against Melilla, and Real Madrid cruised to a 4-0 win. He is currently the manager of Real Madrid’s junior team, so he is not expected to hold onto the job long as the giant club looks to add a brand name to head the club. The tabloids say that former Chelsea manager Antonio Conte is in negotiations to take over, and it will be interesting to see if some players play more defensively in an effort to win over the assumed new manager early on.
La Liga Prop Bet – Real Valladolid to score at -135
Real Valladolid don’t score often. They have tallied just nine goals this season, but they are facing a Real Madrid club in disarray that is also dealing with a banged up back line. Not having Varane, Carvajal, and possibly Marcelo is huge, so I think Valladolid will knock one in.
Free Soccer Betting Pick
With Real Madrid’s struggles, the draw is a good option too. Real Valladolid play good defense, and they can fluster a team currently searching for answers.
Spanish La Liga Odds: Real Madrid 1, Real Valladolid 1
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