In a thrilling encounter on Friday, Real Madrid, despite being reduced to 10 men, staged a remarkable comeback against relegation-threatened Valencia, securing a 2-1 victory. Late goals from Luka Modric and Jude Bellingham propelled the visitors to the top of the La Liga standings.
In a dramatic turn of events, Real Madrid was trailing by a goal with just five minutes remaining. However, the team showcased their resilience again, with Jude Bellingham scoring the decisive goal seven minutes into stoppage time. This victory propelled Real Madrid to 43 points, placing them two points ahead of second-placed Atletico Madrid, who still have a game in hand.
The match, postponed because of severe flooding in the area at the end of October, began under a charged atmosphere as home supporters confronted police amid protests against the club outside the Mestalla stadium.
The match commenced with an exhilarating pace, as Real Madrid’s Federico Valverde and Valencia’s Hugo Duro came tantalizingly close to scoring in the opening minutes, only to thwart their attempts.
Duro gave Valencia the lead in the 27th minute, capitalizing on an open goal after Thibaut Courtois had parried Javi Guerra’s initial close-range attempt.
Real Madrid intensified their efforts in search of an equalizer. Yet, as his poorly executed penalty struck the post, Jude Bellingham squandered a prime opportunity to find the back of the net. This came in the wake of a foul by Enzo Barrenechea on Kylian Mbappe in the 55th minute.
Mbappe appeared to have leveled the score five minutes later, but VAR ruled out his goal due to an offside call.
In a dramatic turn of events, Carlo Ancelotti’s team was down to 10 players in the 79th minute after Vinicius Jr received a straight red card for striking Valencia goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski.
The Brazil forward subsequently apologized for his conduct on his X account, stating: “Sorry and thank you, team.”
Substitute Modric equalized for the visitors, finding the back of the net with a low shot after receiving a through ball from Bellingham five minutes before the final whistle.
The England midfielder secured the victory by advancing towards the goal and skillfully placing a right-footed shot past the goalkeeper, marking the hosts’ first defeat under the guidance of new coach Carlos Corberan.
“The missed penalty catalyzed Bellingham, who responded with a few minutes of play that showcased his unique abilities.” “He put in a tremendous effort, and this goal is a well-deserved reward for his performance in the game,” coach Ancelotti told the media.
Valencia currently sits in the second-to-last position in the standings, accumulating 12 points, which places them four points away from the safety zone.
Experiencing a loss in this manner is deeply painful. “We are currently lacking momentum and had opportunities,” Valencia striker Duro stated in an interview with Movistar.
“Losing the advantage in such a manner is particularly painful, especially following the red card.” Attention must be directed towards the pitch. The external appearance holds no significance for us. Support from the fans has been instrumental to our success.
