Valencia 1-2 Real Madrid
Carlo Ancelotti’s team delivered yet another thrilling comeback story with two late goals.
The new year in La Liga kicked off with a dramatic and controversial match. Vinícius Júnior saw red after striking the opposing goalkeeper in frustration, and Jude Bellingham missed a penalty. However, Luka Modrić refused to let Real Madrid falter, coming off the bench to equalize before Bellingham redeemed himself with a stoppage-time winner.
On Friday night at Valencia’s home ground, Real Madrid secured a 2-1 victory in an electrifying match.
Hugo Duro’s goal had kept Valencia ahead for a significant part of the game, raising hopes for a big win. But Modrić’s equalizer and Bellingham’s late strike turned the tide, showcasing Real Madrid’s resilience once again.
Despite playing with 10 men in the closing moments, the win pushed Real Madrid to the top of the table in the new year. With 43 points from 19 matches, they overtook Atlético Madrid, who have 41 points with a game in hand.
Match Highlights:
In the 5th minute, Real Madrid created the first chance, but Valencia goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski blocked Fede Valverde’s powerful strike.
Two minutes later, Hugo Duro fired a strong shot from inside the box, which Thibaut Courtois saved comfortably. Moments later, he also stopped André Almeida’s weak header.
Valencia kept pressing, and in the 27th minute, Courtois parried a close-range shot from Javi Guerra, only for Duro to capitalize on the rebound and find the back of the net.
Real Madrid tried to respond, but Valverde’s thunderous shot in the 38th minute narrowly missed, grazing the crossbar. Just before halftime, Dimitrievski blocked Vinícius’s effort with his foot, sending Real Madrid into the break trailing 1-0.
Second Half Drama:
Real Madrid began the second half aggressively, but the game was disrupted by frequent fouls.
In the 52nd minute, Real were awarded a penalty after Kylian Mbappé was fouled in the box. However, Bellingham’s low shot hit the post, marking the first time he failed to convert from the spot for Real Madrid.
Commentators questioned the validity of the penalty, as well as the decision not to retake the kick despite Valencia’s goalkeeper leaving his line early and players entering the box.
In the 58th minute, Mbappé found the net, but the goal was disallowed for offside. Nine minutes later, Aurélien Tchouaméni’s cross set up a brilliant header from Rodrygo, which narrowly missed.
Vinícius Sees Red:
In the 79th minute, Vinícius Júnior was sent off for striking Valencia’s goalkeeper on the neck. The referee made the decision after consulting the VAR monitor. Though visibly furious, the Brazilian forward was escorted off the pitch by his teammates and coaching staff.
The Comeback:
Real Madrid equalized in the 85th minute through Luka Modrić, who scored after receiving a brilliant pass from Bellingham.
Then, in the 5th minute of added time, Real Madrid capitalized on a defensive error. Hugo Guillamón’s careless back pass was intercepted by Bellingham, who calmly slotted the ball into the net to secure the victory.
Valencia came close to equalizing in the final seconds, but Luis Rioja’s powerful shot struck the crossbar, leaving the hosts with a heartbreaking loss.
While Valencia’s new coach Carlos Corberán began his tenure with a defeat, Real Madrid celebrated a hard-fought victory, despite being down to 10 men in the final moments.
