Real Madrid take on the visitors Oviedo in the round 36 match of Spanish LaLiga. The match will be played on Thursday, May 14th at Estadio Santiago Bernabéu (Madrid).
Real Madrid were left stunned by the way last season ended, with elimination from the UEFA Champions League at the hands of Arsenal F.C. and defeats to FC Barcelona in every domestic Spanish competition. As a result, Carlo Ancelotti left the managerial post, but things only got worse. Xabi Alonso, the architect of the 2024 domestic double with Bayer 04 Leverkusen, failed at the club where he once excelled as a player. In just over half a season, his spell began with an early exit from the FIFA Club World Cup and ended with defeat in the Super Cup final. Real Madrid’s recent form has reflected a side lacking both consistency and emotional stability, with too many matches slipping away despite periods of control. Even at the Santiago Bernabéu, the aura of inevitability that once surrounded them has looked noticeably weaker in recent weeks. Meanwhile, Álvaro Arbeloa, the caretaker who replaced him, immediately suffered a Copa del Rey defeat to Albacete Balompié. In the Champions League, after eliminating SL Benfica and even Manchester City F.C. in the knockout rounds, they lost twice to FC Bayern Munich. In La Liga, despite briefly climbing to the top of the table for a round, the “Royal Club” completely ran out of steam in the spring. It even escalated into an infamous dressing-room altercation. Unsurprisingly, they then lost 0-2 to Barcelona, handing their rivals the title.
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Real Oviedo started showing signs of life far too late. “The Carbayones” were relatively well regarded at the end of the last century, but nearly went bankrupt in the early years of this one. Eventually, investors arrived, and the club gradually climbed back to the Segunda División. Less than a year ago, at the second attempt, they finally won the promotion playoffs. However, their long-awaited return to La Liga turned into a season of constant setbacks. Oviedo’s late improvement did at least show some fighting spirit, with a few performances suggesting they were not entirely resigned to relegation. Still, their lack of attacking threat and inability to build sustained momentum have remained the defining features of their campaign. For a long time, nobody doubted they were heading straight back down from the bottom of the table. In March and April, though, they sharply improved and even managed to string together a few wins. Even so, they remained rooted near the foot of the standings. More recently, defeats began piling up again, and against Getafe CF they escaped with a draw only because their opponents failed to score, leaving the match goalless.
Naturally, the capital club dominate this fixture overall. Including their first meeting since 2002, “Los Galácticos” ran out 3-0 winners back in August. If there is one opponent current Real Madrid should still be able to dominate at home, it is a newly promoted side and the league’s main underdog. Back Real Madrid to win with a -1.5 handicap.
Prediction for the match: Real Madrid to win with -1.5 handicap.
