Real Madrid 1 – 2 Valencia
This defeat could set Carlo Ancelotti’s team back significantly in their quest to retain the league title.
A strange turn of events. Real Madrid simply can’t defeat Valencia twice in a season in La Liga! Once again, they couldn’t manage it. After missing a penalty early on, Vinícius Jr. equalized for the team in the second half, but former Real player Hugo Duro made the difference in the dying moments. It was a major blow to Real’s title defense.
On Saturday, Valencia secured a memorable 2-1 victory at Santiago Bernabéu, with the same scoreline as in their earlier encounter this season.
The last time Real Madrid won both games in a season against Valencia was back in 2021-22 under Ancelotti.
Valencia only had 10 shots throughout the match, with just two on target, but they made them count. Meanwhile, Real Madrid, who controlled 65% of possession and took 21 shots with 9 on target, left the field with long faces.
This defeat is Real’s fifth of the season, leaving them with 63 points from 30 matches, in second place. Barcelona, with 66 points from one game less, are at the top.
If Barcelona win their next match against Real Betis, they will move six points ahead, making their title chase much clearer.
Real Madrid got off to a tough start, facing two bitter moments in the first 15 minutes, and ended up behind.
In the 10th minute, Kylian Mbappé launched a brilliant counterattack and entered the box, only to be fouled by Valencia’s defender, Tarrega. Real were awarded a penalty, but Vinícius Jr.’s weak spot kick was saved by goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili.
Vinícius had also missed a penalty in a Champions League match against Atlético Madrid just three weeks earlier.
Five minutes later, Valencia capitalized on Real’s mistakes. A corner came in, and a fantastic header from Diakhaby found the net. With first-choice goalkeepers Thibaut Courtois and Andriy Lunin both injured, Fran González, who had been given a chance to play, couldn’t react in time.
Just two minutes later, it looked like Valencia might add another own goal when Diakhaby sent a ball toward his own net, but Mbappé was offside, and the score remained unchanged.
Real controlled possession and created several good chances in the first half, but despite all their efforts, Mbappé and Jude Bellingham couldn’t find the back of the net.
In the second half, Vinícius Jr. made up for his earlier mistake by scoring the equalizer in the 50th minute. Bellingham’s header off a corner was redirected to Vinícius, who scored his 11th goal of the season.
Valencia almost regained the lead in the 65th minute when Tarrega failed to clear a header, but no danger came from it. Just two minutes later, Mbappé fired a powerful shot that narrowly missed the target.
Real kept piling on pressure, but once again, Mamardashvili was there to deny them. The match continued with Real dominating possession, but they just couldn’t convert their chances.
In the dying moments of the match, their frustrations reached a peak. In the fifth minute of added time, Valencia launched a brilliant counterattack. Hugo Duro, receiving a cross from a teammate, scored with a perfect header, sending the Valencia players into wild celebration and leaving Santiago Bernabéu in stunned silence.
