Real Madrid defeated Valencia (0-3) this Saturday with goals from Fede Valverde, Arda Güler and Kylian Mbappé to extend their winning streak to eight consecutive victories and close in on the lead at a Mestalla stadium where Javier Aguirre‘s team has still not managed to win so far this league season.
If the Copa del Rey does not pit both teams against each other again at the centenary stadium on Avenida de Suecia before the move to Nou Mestalla in the summer of 2027, the last Valencia-Real Madrid in Mestalla’s history went to Madrid, who move level on 30 points with Barcelona, who will play Atlético de Madrid this Sunday, while Valencia remain stuck in second-to-last place with 9 points.
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Real Madrid’s dominance was total from the start. Mourinho‘s team, which seems to have already found its gala eleven, the same one he picked for the Clásico, but with Courtois in goal, took control of the ball and forced Valencia to defend. As expected.
Aguirre already knew it, so he set up a five-man defense to try to stop Bellingham, Diomande and Mbappé. With great effort, he managed it in the opening minutes with a very alert Tárrega, while Javi Guerra tried to carry the team on his shoulders on the few occasions he had the ball.
Guerra soon showed off his tremendous stride to launch a counterattack with Sadiq, but his attempt was thwarted. Nor did it work when the midfielder looked for Danjuma, who lost the ball. They were only two timid attempts amid Madrid’s monologue before Valencia enjoyed their best moment in the 19th minute with a volley from Mayol that Courtois kept out with a superb save and, from that corner, a goal by Guido ruled out for offside.
Valencia wasted their big chance and Real Madrid did not miss with their first shot on target. After a free kick from the edge of the box that Mbappé smashed into the wall, the ball fell to Fede Valverde, who did not hesitate. The Uruguayan unleashed his trademark cannon shot and drove the ball across goal with power to make it 0-1 in the 28th minute. Unstoppable for Dimitrievski.
A first part played at a high tempo
But Real Madrid wanted more and, less than ten minutes later, Bellingham set upArda Güler, who, completely unmarked, struck the ball on the volley to make it 0-2 in the 36th minute. The Turk came close to scoring his second goal with a left-footed rocket that Dimitrievski parried away in a very tense closing spell in which there was a small scuffle between Sadiq and Diomande after a first half played at a frantic pace.
After the break, Aguirre sought an equalizer with Luis Rioja and changed his setup. With the winger coming on and center-back De Haas going off, the coach was looking for more attacking presence. But he did not find it. Not even when the young Aimar Blázquez came on. Valencia had already made four substitutions, while Real Madrid, despite having played in the Champions League, still had the same starting eleven.
Mourinho’s team kept pressing. They wanted more. Arda Güler, Bellingham and Mbappé tried, even with an overhead kick, until, in the 75th minute, the third arrived. Güler played an exquisite pass to Mbappé, who dribbled past Dimitrievski to make it the definitive 0-3, although the Frenchman wanted to break forward again on the counterattack in the next move and was brought down by Gayà, who was sent off with ten minutes remaining.
Real Madrid made all five of their substitutions in the final five minutes to freshen up the team. Brahim and Endrick looked for their goal, but the scoreline did not change.
– Technical sheet
0 – Valencia: Dimitrievski; Maffeo (Arnau, 63rd min), Pepelu, Tárrega, De Haas (Rioja, 46th min), Gayà; Guerra (Jesús Vázquz, 82nd min), Guido (Ugrinic, 63rd min), Mayol; Sadiq (Aimar, 59th min) and Danjuma.
3 – Real Madrid: Courtois; Valverde, Huijsen, Konaté, Cucurella; Tchouaméni, Bernardo (Endrick, min.84); Arda Güler (Camavinga, min.84), Bellingham (Thiago, min.91), Diomande (Brahim, min.84); and Mbappé (Espí, min.91).
Goals: 0-1, 28th minute: Valverde. 0-2, 36th minute: Güler. 0-3, 75th minute: Mbappé.
Referee: Francisco José Hernandez. He cautioned Maffeo (26th min), Guido (50th min), Aguirre (59th min), Rioja (80th min) and Pepelu (81st min) for the home side, and Lunin (47+, on the bench), Diomande (80th min) and Mbappé (81st min) for the visitors. He sent off Gayà with a straight red card (79th min).
Incidents: Match corresponding to the twelfth round of LaLiga EA Sports played at Mestalla Stadium in front of 47,914 spectators. A minute of silence was observed following the death of CD Tenerife player Jesús de Miguel. The players came out wearing a commemorative shirt with the number 9 and, together with the referees, formed a semi-circle embracing at the center of the pitch, where they placed a bouquet of flowers.
