With an eye on next week’s Champions League quarter-final against Arsenal, Real Madrid returned to league action hoping to maintain pressure on leaders Barcelona. However, Carlo Ancelotti’s side were stunned by relegation-threatened Valencia at the Santiago Bernabéu, suffering a 2-1 defeat which could prove pivotal in the La Liga title race. Vinícius Júnior missed a first-half penalty before redeeming himself after the interval, but a stoppage-time winner from Hugo Duro handed the visitors their first away victory of the season.
The result keeps Valencia seven points clear of the drop, while Madrid remain three points behind Barça, who now have a game in hand.
As it happened
Real Madrid had a golden chance to go ahead early on after Kylian Mbappé was clipped in the box by César Tárrega. However, Vinícius Júnior’s tame penalty was easily saved by Giorgi Mamardashvili. That feeling intensified in the 15th minute when Mouctar Diakhaby powered home a header from a López corner to give Valencia a shock lead.
Embed from Getty ImagesMoments later, Diakhaby nearly undid his good work with a calamitous own goal, but VAR ruled that Mbappé was offside in the build-up. The hosts continued to probe, with the French forward looking lively and drawing a fine stop from Mamardashvili before striking the crossbar via another deflected effort.
After the break, Madrid finally got their reward. Jude Bellingham flicked on a Luka Modrić corner, and Vinícius reacted first to smash into the roof of the net in the 50th minute.
Embed from Getty ImagesWith the score at 1-1, the hosts continued to push forward in waves. Mamardashvili remained a wall in goal, denying Bellingham, Mbappé and Valverde in quick succession. The latter saw a point-blank strike somehow kept out by the Georgian goalkeeper with 20 minutes to play.
Carlo Ancelotti turned to Rodrygo, Endrick and Arda Güler in search of a winner, but Real’s attacking desperation left them increasingly open. In the fifth minute of injury time, Valencia made them pay. A quick transition saw Diego López release Rafa Mir down the right, and the substitute’s pinpoint cross was headed home by Duro to stun the Bernabéu.
Embed from Getty ImagesAntonio Rüdiger nearly rescued a point at the death, only to see his shot once again saved by Mamardashvili. Madrid’s 16-match unbeaten run against Valencia at home came to an end in dramatic fashion.
The lineups
RMA: González; Vázquez, Tchouaméni, Rüdiger, García; Díaz, Modrić, Valverde, Bellingham; Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior.
VAL: Mamardashvili; Aarons, Mosquera, Diakhaby, Tárrega, Vázquez; Almeida, Barrenechea, Guerra; López, Sadiq.
