Real Madrid

Real  Madrid visit Nuevo Jose Zorrilla Stadium on Sunday night with a chance to extend their lead atop the league table against a Valladolid squad that sits in 19th place and has yet to find its form this season.

The main headline out of the Madridista camp is the absence of Kaka, who because of a strained muscle stayed in the Spanish capital along with Benzema and Drenthe. Manuel Pellegrini called up 18 players in hopes of extended the team’s road winning streak to four.
 

While the Whites sit in first place in the table, the Pucelanos are second-to-last and five points away from steering clear of the relegation zone. According to Cesar Arzo, the team needs to earn better results at home, where they have only won two matches this year while drawing six and losing five.

Unfortunately for head coach Onesimo Sanchez, he’ll have to accomplish the feat without Angolan forward Manucho, who joins a long list of injured players including Sisi, Jacobo, Sesma, Alvaro Rubio, Luis Prieto and Sereno. Nauzet and Canobbio however did find their way back onto the roster.

Valladolid Squad List: Justo Villar, Fabricio, Marcos, Baraja, Cesar Arzo, Del Horno, Haris, Pedro Lopez, Pele, Lazaro, Canobbio, Costa, Keko, Marquitos, Bueno, Borja, Nivaldo, Nauzet.

Real Madrid and Valladolid have met on 79 occasions in league action, of which the Whites have won 49 times, drawn 16 and lost 14.  Real Madrid also hold the upper hand on Valladolid’s home turf, where they have earned 15 victories, 13 draws and 11 defeats. Los Blancos have scored 161 goals and conceded 86 against the Pucelanos.