Spanish La Liga
2025-11-01 - Real Madrid vs Valencia
A Sports Betting Pick by Gladiator
Football: Spanish La Liga - Round 11
Estadio Santiago Bernabéu (Madrid), Spain
Saturday, 1st November 2025 - Kick Off 21:00 CET
Real Madrid
Real Madrid return to action after a week filled with emotion and triumph. Following their dramatic 2-1 victory in El Clásico, Los Blancos extended their lead at the top of La Liga to five points over Barcelona, reaffirming their position as early title favourites. Xabi Alonso’s men have now strung together five consecutive wins across all competitions, and confidence within the camp is sky-high as they prepare for another home fixture at the Bernabéu - a ground that’s becoming an impenetrable fortress once again.
Madrid have won nine consecutive league matches at home, scoring at least twice in each of their last four. The tactical structure under Alonso has brought balance - combining the creativity of Jude Bellingham and Arda Güler with the pace and directness of Vinícius Júnior. However, a touch of controversy surrounds the Brazilian forward after his visible frustration at being substituted against Barcelona, though that is unlikely to affect the squad’s overall focus. Real Madrid’s strength at home and their consistent first-half control make them heavy favourites once more.
Valencia
Valencia, meanwhile, arrive in the capital desperate to halt a worrying slide. The visitors have gone five La Liga matches without a win, a run that has dropped them into the relegation zone. Their 2-0 defeat to Villarreal in last weekend’s regional derby highlighted their ongoing issues in attack and confidence. A 5-0 Copa del Rey victory over lower-league Maracena in midweek at least restored some morale, but translating that to the league remains a huge challenge for Carlos Corberán’s young side.
The defensive record on the road is a major concern — seven away league matches without a win and 13 goals conceded in that period. Valencia often start games cautiously and rely on their structure to stay in contention, but they lack the cutting edge to trouble elite opponents consistently. With key defenders Dimitri Foulquier and Mouctar Diakhaby sidelined, the visitors could again be forced to sit deep and absorb pressure in the early stages at the Bernabéu.
The Betting Verdict
This matchup looks heavily weighted in Real Madrid’s favour, though the tempo might not explode immediately. Both sides have been involved in several low-scoring first halves this season, and with Madrid often conserving energy early before finding their rhythm after the break, a cautious opening seems likely. Valencia, aware of their defensive fragility, will probably adopt a compact setup and focus on containing Madrid’s front line for as long as possible. Given those dynamics and the stats pointing to limited early scoring opportunities in games involving both teams, the Under 1.5 Goals (First Half) market holds strong value here.
The Statistics :
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The Pick :
Real Madrid 2-0 Valencia
