Lucas Vazquez crosses low from the left, he's in a great area and the ball is scrambled away in the six-yard box.

Toni Kroos gets a glancing header on a deliver to concede a corner.

Valencia work another crossing area and Hugo Guillamon's header is catching practice for Thibaut Courtois.

Valencia boss Jose Bordalas is 57 years old.

I hope I look that youthful at that age.

What is that man consuming?

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Valencia boss Jose Bordalas is pacing around barking instructions. Carlo Ancelotti starts doing the same, pointing frantically as his team work the ball forward.

Vinicius Junior tries to play a ball from left to right but it's headed away at the back post.

Jasper Cillessen is down very nicely to save a header from Real Madrid's Eder Militao.

That header had pace on it but wasn't in the corner of the net, giving Cillessen half a chance.

He took it well and scrambled the ball away.

Valencia popping it around very nicely. There's a sharpness to what they are doing in all areas, finding space in and around Madrid's players nicely.

It's early sparring but Real on the back foot.

Casemiro slides in on Goncalo Guedes to concede a corner and this has been a promising opening from Valencia.

Guedes over the corner, steps over the ball. Helder Costa sends the corner to the edge of the box and Daniel Wass shoots from range, deflected for a corner again.

This time Madrid clear.

Off we go.

Aggressive start from Valencia as they launch an attack down the right. Real Madrid see it off and get their first taste of possession.

We have players on the pitch.

It looks like Valencia will bring a 4-4-2 to proceedings.

Carlo Ancelotti sits arms folded on the bench and wears the look of a man who has managed once or twice before.

Naturally you may expect league leaders Real Madrid to have way too much for ninth-placed Valencia on home soil.

Valencia though have won six of their last seven games in all competitions. Granted some of them were against lower-league competition in the Copa del Rey but still, wins are wins and if you dig out enough of them, belief grows.

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A win tonight and Real Madrid go eight points clear of Sevilla at the top of the table.

They'd have played two games more but wins are better than games in hand are they not?

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Real Madrid lost their last league game away at Getafe.

Rodrygo drops out from that line-up and in comes Vinicius Junior.

It has been 348 minutes since Real conceded a goal at home. That consistent midfield keeps them ticking along nicely.

Valencia lost at home to Espanyol last time out and they make four changes in all.

Thierry Correira, Jesus Vazquez, Carlos Soler and Hugo Druro all miss out from that defeat.

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Ladies and gents, we have ourselves a contrast in how these teams get the job done.

Real Madrid have scored the most goals from open play in La Liga this season. A sum of 35 of their 41 goals have been from open play, that's 85.4%.

Valencia have scored the most goals from set pieces in this league campaign - 12 out of 31 - that's 39%.

Now that I've posted this, Real will likely win 2-1, with two set-piece goals, while Valencia will register from a well-crafted team goal.

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And so to the La Liga leaders up next.

A fixture that rolls off the tongue on paper... Real Madrid v Valencia.

Just joining us?

• Barcelona thought they led early on only for a Luuk de Jong header to be ruled out for offside by VAR. It was very, very close.
• Barca did lead through De Jong after the break. He thumped a header home from a Dani Alves cross. Alves was making his first La Liga start since 2016.
• Teenage star Gavri was sent off for a second yellow card with 10 minutes remaining.
• Antonio Puertas hammered home a late equaliser for Granada, who have now gone seven La Liga games without defeat. The last time they were unbeaten in that long came in 1969.

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Sergio Busquets reacts on La Liga TV: "In the second half we had more possession and Granada forced us to attack with pace because they were pressurising us. There were plenty of spaces. We needed to finish our plays with more pace and precision but didn't manage to,

"With the red card the game changed a lot. It was difficult to hold on to possession. It was a shame.

"We need longer spells of possession."

On facing Real Madrid next: "I think we are competing well. We are more solid. I think we are playing a different football. Hopefully we can get our players back. We need to put victories on the board in the league as we know the situation we are in. Real Madrid will be very hard but we know if we play well we will create chances."

That's it.

That game came to life in the second period did it not?

Luuk de Jong excellent, Gavri talented but rash to see red, Antonio Puertas a home hero.

A draw. An entertaining one.

Marc-Andre ter Stegen with an awful clearance, he's out of his goal, it's sent over his head by Montoro and the keeper rushes back to dive and tip it away.

Dear me. Montoro thought he'd peaked on just day eight of 2022 there!

Barcelona in possession and patient. They look happy to draw. This game has changed markedly since Gavri saw red. What a harsh, harsh lesson for the teenager this will be.

Six added minutes.

Antonio Puertas caught that ball soo cleanly he may as well have dipped it in mouthwash too.