With little time remaining, Zidane allows Jovic to stretch his legs - withdrawing Rodrygo.
90'
The fourth official indicates three additional minutes will be added for stoppages.
88'
F. Valverde enters the game and replaces L. Modrić.
Zidane calls upon the fresh legs of Valverde, who will enter the match in place of Modric.
81'
Miguel de la Fuente enters the game and replaces Fede San Emeterio.
Immediately after going behind, Real Valladolid replace San Emeterio with De La Fuente.
78'
Nacho has scored a goal for Real Madrid! Assist by T. Kroos.
NACHO’S DIPPING HEADER PUTS MADRID IN THE LEAD! Kroos’ corner is beaten away by a Valladolid head, but it’s delivered back to the midfielder, whose second effort finds the head of his right-back at the edge of the six-yard box! It's a nifty finish into the back post - evading centre-back and goalkeeper in the process!
Though his first delivery may not have been great, Kroos certainly made amends with his second effort, finding Nacho for the assist.
76'
Nacho gets yellow.
Óscar Plano enters the game and replaces E. Ünal.
Following the breakdown in Madrid’s attack, Valladolid get it forward through the Villa. Just as the substitute looks to get into midfield, Nacho drags him down cynically, earning a yellow card.
Plano comes on for Unal as we enter the final 15 minutes of the match.
75'
Real Madrid have 10 men inside Valladolid’s half as they launch another attack, but Rodrygo’s poor cross is beaten away by the head of Olivas who steps across Benzema easily.
73'
Lucas Vázquez enters the game and replaces Isco.
Real Madrid’s first change sees Isco replaced by Vazquez.
71'
Benzema is forced to drop deep in order to link-up play and provide options, but neither Modric nor Nacho are able to create anything meaningful as it’s forced backwards before coming forward again.
Minute
Description
69'
Varane steps up to Valladolid’s penalty area as he looks to slide a pass through for Benzema, but Salisu and Olivas are once again on the scene to stifle proceedings. The centre-back nearly loses possession a long way from his natural position - but a quick slip to Isco keeps Madrid on the ball.
67'
Madrid are forced to pass around a packed Valladolid midfield, as no options are forthcoming through the crowded middle. More than an hour has passed, but the visitors still struggle to find a way through Sergio’s drilled defenders.
61'
Rodrygo jumps to flick the ball into the penalty area for Benzema, going over the outstretched legs of Salisu and winning a free-kick in the process. It’s dead centre on the line of the 18 - and Isco stands over it.
58'
Toni Villa enters the game and replaces Míchel Herrero.
Michel is replaced by Villa with just over 30 minutes remaining as Real Valladolid make their first change.
57'
L. Modrić gets yellow.
Modric is pushed off the ball in midfield, but a free-kick is not awarded as play is allowed to continue. The non-call infuriates the midfielder, who says something to the fourth official; words worthy of a yellow card.
55'
Fernandez wins the ball back in midfield after re-entering the pitch, but his wayward pass forces Unal into a difficult sliding pass for Guardiola, who is promptly squeezed out of possession. The hosts have had the ball less in the second than they did in the first, and are not using it effectively when they have the ball.
53'
Casemiro has become something more than a traditional holding midfielder for Madrid, with his surging runs often dragging his team-mates up along with him. Powerful in stride with a cannon of a right foot, it’s a difficult task to stop the versatile Brazil international.
48'
Both coaches have opted against making changes at half-time, but Zidane has sent a part of his bench to go through their warm-ups: Vazquez and Valverde. With the start of the second looking rather the same as the first ended, it will be interesting to see how long until a switch is made.
46'
Real Valladolid get the match restarted from the kick-off!
45' +1
HALF-TIME: REAL VALLADOLID 0-0 REAL MADRID.
45'
The fourth official indicates one additional minute will be added for stoppages.
44'
Michel takes a corner-kick to the near post, but the pace on the delivery doesn’t allow Fernandez a chance to flick it on. After falling to the foot of Modric, it’s booted clear to allow Madrid to resettle.
40'
Casemiro is pushed down cynically in midfield, just as the Real Madrid player was shaping for a shot. The free-kick is taken by Kroos, but the central location makes it difficult, and the delivery is headed out immediately.
38'
Mendy shapes an ineffective cross from the left, but the looping delivery forces Salisu, Fernandez and Alcaraz to all jump into each other in an attempt to clear the ball. It’s finally whacked away, but not after Alcarez is sent to the floor in a heap following the collision.
36'
R. Varane gets yellow.
The hosts relieve the pressure by winning the ball back, before firing it into midfield for Unal. The striker turns and looks to charge towards goal, but Varane is there to bring him down - earning the defender a yellow.
35'
Valladolid are under a spell of pressure as Nacho’s low cross is repelled at the first time of asking, though the clearance puts the ball back in Madrid’s possession via a throw-in. With 10 minutes remaining, the coach will just be hoping to keep it tight and get into half-time level.
33'
Rodrygo takes off on a mazy slalom, which sees him cut through midfield and attract the attention of three Valladolid players around the 18. The young winger manages to duck through one challenge, but Salisu is able to step across and shepherd the ball back to Masip.
31'
With 30 minutes gone, Real Valladolid have done little going forward but should be relatively happy with their defensive organisation and shape. Aside from the disallowed goal, Madrid have challenged Masip only sporadically.
29'
Rodrygo again finds himself on the floor after a cynical tackle from San Emeterio. The free-kick is taken short to Isco, who rounds the 18-yard box before chipping a cross into Casemiro. It’s a useful move as it opens up space in the penalty area, but Masip is allowed to step up and to grab it.
27'
The free-kick is chipped down the right flank and into the penalty area, but Unal is unable to extend far enough as it rolls out for a goal-kick.
26'
Unal stays down after Ramos goes over the top of the striker to win a header. The centre-back has shown little restraint today, as he gives away a needless free-kick in midfield.
24'
Antonito wins a throw-in high in Madrid territory, but his pass to Fernandez leaves the midfielder with little options. With Ramos and Mendy both marking him, the attack breaks down as it’s directed back to Salisu in defence.
20'
Kroos’ intent pressing forces Fernandez to pass back to Salisu, who takes an awful first touch. The inability to settle the pass nearly allows Kroos to nip in and win possession ahead of Masip’s penalty area, but a last-second pass to Olivas narrowly finds its intended target and saves Valladolid’s blushes.
18'
Real Madrid are stuck at an impasse in midfield, as the hosts settle in and try to repel the waves of pressure. Salisu steps in well to block Nacho’s incisive pass - which forces Kroos all the way back to Courtois.
14'
Real Valladolid are fortunate not to find themselves behind after Casemiro’s offside was by the slightest of margins. The Brazil international scored both goals in Real Madrid’s win over Sevilla, and he’s no doubt in search of more.
10'
Joaquín Fernández gets yellow.
A dangerous and wild two-footed slide on Rodrygo sees Fernandez shown an early yellow card.
8'
Salisu lunges in and wins the ball from Rodrygo, before his deflected clearance bobbles up to Alcaraz on the wing. The midfielder attempts to bring it down under his control, but Nacho is there to put in a tackle - sending it out for a throw.
6'
Ramos rashly charges through the back of Guardiola high up the pitch in an effort to win the ball, and gives away a cheap free-kick which allows the hosts to clear their lines.
5'
As Valladolid Courtois, looking for the goalkeeper to err in a clearance, it seems as though Michel has stepped up to tuck in behind Unal and Guardiola in attack. Alcaraz and San Emeterio have come inside as well to block the Madrid passing lanes and shield the defence.
3'
Real Madrid are controlling the early tempo, looking to play from out to in as the ball is fired down the left flank for Benzema.
1'
Real Madrid get the match underway from the kick-off!
Hello and welcome to our LIVE commentary of the LaLiga fixture between Real Valladolid and Real Madrid!
Real Valladolid enter their match against Real Madrid on the back of eight without victory in LaLiga - with their last victory coming over Mallorca on November 3. The 15th placed side have one of Spain’s better defences, but Sergio’s side often find it difficult to find the net, despite the coach employing two strikers.
REAL VALLADOLID SUBS: Javi Moyano, Nacho, Miguel De La Fuente, Oscar Plano, Pablo Hervias, Samu Perez, Toni Villa.
With 15 minutes to go before kick-off, let’s take a look at how the two sides will line up, starting with the hosts!
Valencia’s 2-0 victory over Barcelona yesterday put Real Madrid’s fate into their own hands; with a win taking Zinedine Zidane’s side three-points clear of their rivals. On a rich vein of form which has seen them win their last two, as well as go 11 matches unbeaten domestically, the visitors will be firm favourites for the win.
REAL MADRID XI (4-3-3): Thibaut Courtois; Nacho Fernandez, Raphael Varane, Sergio Ramos, Ferland Mendy; Luka Modric, Casemiro, Toni Kroos; Rodrygo, Karim Benzema, Isco.
REAL VALLADOLID XI (4-4-2): Jordi Masip; Raul Garcia, Mohammed Salisu, Kiko Olivas, Antonito; Federico San Emeterio, Joaquin Fernandez, Michel, Ruben Alcaraz; Enes Unal, Sergi Guardiola.
REAL MADRID SUBS: Alphonse Areola, Marcelo, Federico Valverde, Luka Jovic, Eder Militao, Lucas Vazquez, James Rodriguez.
After holding Real Madrid for 45 minutes, Sergio must be pleased with his side’s prospects in the second half. Isco’s inability to link up with Benzema has made the attack somewhat one dimensional and reliant on the full-backs - whose deliveries haven’t been of the required standard. With Vazquez, Jovic and James on the bench, Zidane has options to change the system, should their inability to score continue to plague them in the second half.
The two sides enter half-time level at 0-0, though it looked as though Real Madrid had broken the deadlock in the 12th minute, but Casemiro’s headed goal was ruled off after VAR had deemed there to be offside in the build-up. The visitors dominated proceedings, keeping most of the ball and never really worried about conceding, though their ascendancy was not punctuated by any real chances at the other end, as the Merengues failed to manage a single shot on target. Benzema was often an isolated figure as the Madrid midfield toiled to find space, which should open up after the interval.
This concludes our commentary of the LaLiga fixture between Real Valladolid and Real Madrid, we hope you enjoyed it!
Real Valladolid are back in action on Saturday, when they travel to Mallorca. Real Madrid face Real Zaragoza midweek in the cup, before hosting Atletico Madrid in the derby on Saturday.
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