Real Madrid 2-1 Valencia (Jan 3, 2025) Game Analysis

Late strikes from Luka Modric and Jude Bellingham earned 10-man Actual Madrid a 2-1 comeback win at relegation-threatened Valencia on Friday because the guests moved high of the LaLiga standings.

Actual Madrid had been a aim down with 5 minutes to go, however mounted one other trademark comeback with Bellingham’s winner arriving seven minutes into stoppage time as Madrid moved to 43 factors, two away from second-placed Atlético Madrid, who’ve a sport in hand.

The match, rescheduled attributable to devastating floods within the area late in October, kicked off in a tense environment after residence followers clashed with police throughout protests in opposition to the membership outdoors Mestalla.

On the pitch, nevertheless, it was an exhilarating begin, as Madrid’s Federico Valverde and Valencia’s Hugo Duro each went near breaking the impasse throughout the first minutes, solely to see their efforts blocked.

Duro then put Valencia forward within the twenty seventh minute by tapping into an open aim after Thibaut Courtois had blocked Javi Guerra’s first close-range effort.

Madrid pushed arduous for an equaliser, however Bellingham missed a golden probability to attain with a poor penalty that hit the put up after Enzo Barrenechea’s foul on Kylian Mbappé within the fifty fifth minute.

Mbappe thought he had equalised 5 minutes later, however his strike was disallowed by the VAR for offside.

Carlo Ancelotti’s aspect had been then decreased to 10 males within the 79th minute when Vinícius Júnior was proven a straight crimson card for slapping Valencia goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski.

The Brazil ahead later apologised for his behaviour on his X account the place he wrote: “Sorry and thanks group”.

However substitute Modric lastly introduced the guests degree when he beat Dimitrievski with a low shot off Bellingham’s via ball 5 minutes from time.

The England midfielder then sealed the win, bearing down on aim earlier than calmly beating the keeper with a right-footed end handy the hosts their first loss underneath new coach Carlos Corberan.

“The missed penalty gave [Bellingham] further motivation, he gave a couple of minutes as solely he can do. He labored arduous, the aim is a deserved reward for him for the sport he performed,” coach Ancelotti informed a information convention after the sport.

Valencia stay second-bottom with 12 factors, 4 factors from the security zone.

“It hurts so much to lose like this. We aren’t in a superb momentum and we had probabilities,” Valencia striker Duro informed Movistar.

“It hurts so much to lose the benefit like that, particularly after the sending off. We now have to give attention to the pitch. No matter is on the skin does not matter to us. The followers have helped us.”