The first LaLiga action of 2025 is the rescheduled match between 'Los Che' and 'Los Blancos'.
La Liga is back! The first action of the new year sees struggling Valencia face Real Madrid at the Mestalla on Friday, with the match rescheduled and the original match in November postponed after torrential floods devastated the city.
Friday's match also marks the debut on the Mestalla bench for new Valencia boss Carlos Corberán, with the locally-born coach brought in to replace Ruben Baraja, who was relieved of his role as the team languished in the drop zone.
Valencia are staring relegation to LaLiga Hypermotion (Spain's second tier) in the eye after recording just two wins all season, while 'Los Che' have only been relegated once in the club's history (1986).
All is not well in Mestalla
Many Valencia fans have slowly become disillusioned with the way the club has been managed since Singapore-based businessman Peter Lim took over more than a decade ago.
The 70-year-old took charge of the Mestalla-based team in 2014 and over the years Valencia have transformed from a Champions League regular to a team battling to maintain their top-flight status.
Supporters are also angry that the dividends arising from the sale of players are not being channeled to the squad, with excessive turnover of head coaches leaving no sporting project given the chance to flourish as the club turns time and again to the youth academy, instead of spending on the transfer market.
Valencia fans are furious
In recent years, protests against Lim have increased and become more frequent. Ahead of Friday's match, fans are using Real Madrid's high-profile visit to make their voices heard. Valencia fan consortium 'Libertad VCF' is urging supporters to leave Mestalla empty for the match. first 19 minutes of the match, sending a powerful message to the millions of television viewers worldwide.
19 is an important and symbolic number for Valencia fans, as the club was founded in March 1919.
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