Valencia vs Real Madrid Betting Tip Under 2.5 – 8 January 2019

First semi-final could be a close affair

7th January 2020 / callum
Daniel Wass /Valencia ©imago images / Cordon Press / Miguelez Sports 08.01.2020

SpainValencia vs Real MadridSpain
8th January 1900hrs
Football – Spain – Super Cup
Pick Under 2.5 goals
Bookmaker Boylesports
Odds: 5/4 odds taken 2000 GMT, Monday 6 January)

Valencia and Real Madrid are first up in the newly-formatted Spanish Super Cup. The teams played out a 1-1 draw in La Liga last month but there will have to be a winner on this occasion ahead of the weekend’s final.

Spanish Super Cup Betting at Boylesports

Valencia Preview – Can Valencia turn in another big performance against this rival and cause an upset?

The sacking of Marcelino back in September was met with much criticism, and it’s little wonder considering the former coach had led Valencia to a top for finish and qualification in the Champions League for a second straight season and winning the Copa Del Rey. There were also concerns about his replacement with the inexperienced Albert Celades taking over. Those concerns appear to be misplaced, though, as Valencia have moved up into sixth place in La Liga having lost only two of their last 15 in the league. They have also qualified for the knockout phase of the Champions League where they will face Atalanta in what is a realistic chance of making the quarter-finals.

Celades, a former Real Madrid player, now has an opportunity to take his team to the final. They enter this newly-formatted version of the Super Cup courtesy of their success in the Copa Del Rey last season when defeating Barcelona and have the prospect of facing that opponent again if they can get past Real Madrid here. Valencia started this year with a 1-0 win at home to Eibar which keeps them in the hunt for another top four finish.

1-1 Correct Score
27/4

Real Madrid Preview – Will Real follow up impressive weekend victory and reach the final?

It’s clearly still a work in progress but Zinedine Zidane will be relatively happy with how his team’s seasons is going coming into this week’s Super Cup. Real’s 3-0 win away to Getafe at the weekend, combined with Barcelona drawing 2-2 later that day, means they now sit level on points at the top of La Liga. They were not given much of a chance of taking the title away from their bitter rivals at the beginning of the season with the majority of their signings seemingly brought in for the future. So now to be going head to head with Barca approaching the halfway stage is probably something of a pleasant surprise. They, too, will be competing in the latter stages of the Champions League – a competition that Zidane has such fond memories of, of course.

A series of three draws to end 2019 may not be overly encouraging but considering two of those were away to Valencia and Barcelona is an indication of how resilient this Real Madrid team are. It’s not always pretty or free-flowing football but they are hard to beat and it’s effective. It’s now 10 games unbeaten in La Liga and with Barcelona to visit the Bernabeu later in the season, there will be plenty of thoughts turning to this being a potentially title-winning season for Real.

Key-Facts – Valencia vs Real Madrid

  • Valencia have been very good under Albert Celades and will be looking to cause an upset here to continue that good form
  • Real went back level on points with leaders Barcelona at the weekend, a good start to what they hope will be a successful 2020
  • The sides met in December when Real required a last minute goal to take a share of the points

Valencia vs Real Madrid Betting Advice

This is the first year where the Spanish FA have opted to change the format of the Super Cup. Four teams will compete in a mini-knockout tournament with the final to be played at the weekend. Not only that, but they have elected to take it outside of Spain and to Saudi Arabia. A move which is not overly popular with a lot of parties.
Back to the football and this will be the second time these teams have met within the last month. It was a 1-1 draw in La Liga after Real scored with virtually the last kick of the ball. There wasn’t much between the sides on that occasion and this game is likely to be equally tight. Factoring in the travelling, likely changes for both teams and the different climate, it could be a fixture which as limited chances. Under 2.5 goals is the selection. This has been a winning bet in nine of Real Madrid’s last 15 league games and 12 or Valencia’s 19.