In a dramatic and eventful La Liga clash at Mestalla, Real Madrid overturned a challenging evening to clinch a late 2-1 victory over Valencia. The match saw a missed penalty, a red card for Vinicius Jr, and a late winner by Jude Bellingham that saved Los Blancos from an unexpected setback.
The home side started brightly, displaying adventurous football that put Real Madrid under pressure early on. Thibaut Courtois, the Madrid goalkeeper, was called into action multiple times, making crucial saves to keep Valencia at bay. However, he was powerless to stop Hugo Duro’s opener, which came after a rebound from one of his saves. Duro capitalized on the loose ball from close range, giving Valencia a deserved lead.
Real Madrid struggled to find rhythm in the first half, with Valencia’s goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski denying their sporadic chances. After halftime, Madrid had a golden opportunity to equalize when Kylian Mbappe was fouled in the box. However, Jude Bellingham’s penalty struck the post, adding to the visitors’ frustrations. Mbappe later had the ball in the net, but his effort was disallowed for offside.
The tension escalated when Vinicius Jr was shown a red card for pushing Dimitrievski, leaving Madrid with ten men. The dismissal seemed to put the game beyond reach for Carlo Ancelotti’s side.
However, the tide turned in the final minutes. Luka Modric, coming off the bench, leveled the score with a precise finish in the 84th minute. Moments later, Bellingham redeemed himself for the earlier penalty miss by capitalizing on a poor Valencia backpass, calmly slotting the ball into the bottom corner to seal an extraordinary comeback.
Player Ratings:
Goalkeeper & Defence
- Thibaut Courtois (6/10): Reliable in the first half with key saves. Had little to do in the second half but was blameless for the goal.
- Lucas Vazquez (5/10): Struggled defensively, particularly on Valencia’s opener.
- Aurelien Tchouameni (6/10): The more composed of the center-backs, showing moments of quality under pressure.
- Antonio Rudiger (5/10): Below-par performance, often caught out on Valencia’s counter-attacks.
- Ferland Mendy (5/10): Largely ineffective and replaced in the 70th minute, offering minimal contribution offensively.
Real Madrid’s chaotic victory keeps their title hopes alive, with Jude Bellingham once again proving to be the match-winner despite a turbulent evening.
