Hoping for a boost from a new coach, struggling Valencia gets an early start to the new year by facing Real Madrid in a La Liga game postponed two months ago because of the deadly floods.
The game on Friday comes after more than 200 people died in the massive floods in the Valencia region, and with the club still trying to overcome poor results and ongoing fan protests against Singaporean owner Peter Lim.
Valencia was in last place at the time, with only two victories and seven points from 11 matches. Now it sits second to last with 12 points from 17 games. It won only once since the postponement prompting the club to replace coach Rubén Baraja with Carlos Corberán during the Christmas break, according to The AP.
“We expect an opponent that may be extra motivated after changing its coach,” Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti said Thursday. “We've looked how he coached at West Brom, and we'll see how he will adapt to the players he has at Valencia now.”
Madrid finished the year by winning the Club World Cup and beating Sevilla 4-2 in the league. A draw on Friday would be enough to put Ancelotti's team back in first place, tied on points with Atletico Madrid but ahead on goal difference. A win would leave Madrid in sole possession of the top spot and give it a five-point gap to third-placed Barcelona.
Corberán arrived from West Brom on a contract through June 2027 with the task of revitalizing Valencia and taking the club out of the relegation zone, though not even a win on Friday would be enough to move the team out of the bottom three. It trails 18th-placed Espanyol by three points.
The managerial change came after Valencia was held at home by Alavés in its last game of the year, prompting increased protests by fans against Lim, whom they accuse of using Valencia purely as a business venture.
“Being able to represent Valencia is a source of great pride and at the same time, a great responsibility,” Corberán said on his arrival. “As a Valencian, I know what this club means to the city, I know the passion Valencia fans have, and it is something that also fills me with responsibility.”
The Nov. 2 match against Madrid had to be postponed as Valencia's Mestalla Stadium became a base to help the victims of the flash floods that caused havoc in the region. The club also had Copa del Rey games postponed because of the floods.
Copa del Rey games Barcelona and Atletico Madrid will be playing round-of-32 games in the Copa del Rey on Saturday, with Atletico facing third-division club Marbella and Barcelona — which lost its last two league games of 2024 — taking on fourth-division team Barbastro.
Other La Liga clubs playing in the Copa del Rey this weekend include Sevilla, Real Betis, Rayo Vallecano, Athletic Bilbao, Celta Vigo and Real Sociedad.
Madrid's Copa del Rey game against fifth-division club Deportiva Minera will be on Monday, while Valencia will play second-tier team Eldense on Tuesday.
