Real Madrid 1-2 Valencia: Match review | OneFootball

Real Madrid suffered their 10th defeat of the season in all competitions as Valencia shocked them at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu to bag a 2-1 win on matchday 30 of La Liga on Saturday. A terrible performance by the Whites was punished by Los Che in second half stoppage time with former Castilla star Hugo Duro scoring the winner for the visitors in what was their first away win of the campaign.

Los Blancos started the game on the front foot and won a penalty only 13 minutes into the match through Kylian Mbappe.

However, Vinicius Junior’s tame effort from the spot was easily saved by Giorgi Mamardashvili, whose side opened the scoring at the other end against the run of play. A bullet header by Mouctar Diakhaby off a corner gave Valencia the lead on the 15th minute as the debutant Fran Gonzalez was unable to keep it out.

For the remainder of the first half, Valencia sat deep in their own half as the Merengues looked toothless and predictable in possession. Mbappe had a couple of fine opportunities saved by Mamardashvili, who was having a great afternoon in goal while a strange own goal by Diakhaby was also ruled out due to an offside in the build-up, thus meaning that the match went into the break with the hosts trailing.

It required Real Madrid only five minutes to hit back in the second half as Vinicius poked home a corner from close range. Thereafter, Los Merengues continued to have a majority of the ball and had some good chances which were not put away efficiently by the attackers. Carlo Ancelotti also threw in his substitutes very late on, so Arda Guler and Endrick again had very little time to make an impact.

In stoppage time in the second period, Valencia broke late on and scored through Duro’s header from close range as Los Blancos were caught flatfooted at the back. The goal scored by the visitors was the eighth the team had conceded in the past week after shipping two against Leganes and four versus Real Sociedad in the couple of matches prior to hosting Carlos Corberan’s side.

While Ancelotti conceded in his post-match press conference that winning La Liga might be a difficult proposition, the defeat would feel all the more bitter for Real Madrid given Barcelona also dropped points against Real Betis a few hours later. Had they won, the defending league champions would have been just one point worse off their arch rivals but now trail them by four.

After yet another poor game in the league, there are once again question marks over Ancelotti’s future and whether there is any good in not relieving him of his duties ahead of next season. It is not hard to see the severe scrutiny the Italian has had to go through considering Madrid’s form at several patches of the season, coupled with his questionable tactics and team selection.

For the moment, however, there is little to rue for Real Madrid, who might believe they are still in the title race although they must now win all their games and hope for Barca to drop points in the weeks to come. Before next weekend’s league outing against Deportivo Alaves, the focus now shifts to the Champions League quarter-final first leg with a trip to London to take on Arsenal due next for the Whites.