Real Madrid are right to be concerned at this point of the season, for the Estadio Mestalla has been a burial ground for both Rafa Benitez and Carlo Ancelotti over the last two campaigns.
Benitez was sacked after Los Blancos drew there in 2015/16 and Real's 22-game winning streak ended at Valencia in 2014/15.
One also needs to remember the experience at the Estadio de La Ceramica too.
The team - then led by the former Liverpool coach - first visited Villarreal and were defeated by Roberto Soldado's goal.
It left Real five points behind Barcelona in December and as soon as January started, Madrid faced Valencia.
Despite goals from Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale, the 2-2 draw saw Benitez out of a job.
He would be replaced the very next day and at that same press conference Florentino Perez announced that Zinedine Zidane was taking over.
A year before, on January 4, 2015, Carlo Ancelotti's side lost 2-1 at Mestalla and it was undoubtedly a turning point for a team that seemed to run out of gas.
Will lightning strike for a third time?
