Real Madrid leave it late to beat Valencia | OneFootball

In a pivotal LaLiga EA Sports 25/26 fixture, Real Madrid showcased their dominance with a solid 2-0 victory against Valencia at the Estadio de Mestalla. The match, which took place on the evening of February 8, 2026, saw Real Madrid enhance their title credentials with a clinical display of football.

The game statistics reflected Real Madrid's control over the match, with the visitors enjoying 60% possession and registering 11 shots, 6 of which were on target. Valencia, struggling to make a significant impact, managed only 7 shots with none on target, and maintained just 40% possession. Despite their efforts, Valencia's expected goals tally stood at a mere 0.54 compared to Real Madrid's 0.92, underscoring the effectiveness of the Madrid attack.

The deadlock was broken in the 65th minute when Álvaro Carreras, assisted by Dean Huijsen, fired a precise right-footed shot from the center of the box into the bottom left corner, putting Real Madrid ahead. The goal set the tone for the remainder of the match, as Valencia tried unsuccessfully to breach the Madrid defence.

As the match approached its conclusion, Real Madrid sealed their victory in stoppage time. Kylian Mbappé, assisted by Brahim Díaz, doubled the lead with a sharp right-footed strike from the center of the box to the bottom right corner. This goal not only secured the win but also highlighted Madrid's strategic prowess in crucial moments.

Incidents: The story of the match

1':

The match begins

11':

Opportunity wasted. Federico Valverde of Real Madrid attempted a left-footed shot from outside the penalty area following a corner, but it went wide.

13':

Missed opportunity. Unai Núñez from Valencia attempted a right-footed shot from outside the penalty area.

13':

Missed opportunity! Unai Núñez from Valencia takes a right-footed shot from outside the penalty area, but it sails over the goal and to the right. The assist came from Pepelu.

35':

Missed opportunity. Pepelu from Valencia attempts a header from the center of the penalty area, but it sails over the bar. The assist came from Luis Rioja, who delivered a cross following a corner kick.

38':

Missed opportunity. Eduardo Camavinga from Real Madrid attempted a left-footed shot from outside the penalty area, but it sailed high and to the left of the goal. The assist came from Aurélien Tchouaméni.

38':

Missed opportunity! Eduardo Camavinga from Real Madrid took a left-footed shot from outside the penalty area, but it sailed high and to the left. The assist came from Aurélien Tchouaméni.

48':

Missed opportunity! Lucas Beltrán from Valencia attempted a right-footed shot from the center of the box but failed to find the target. The assist came from Arnaut Danjuma, who delivered a cross.

Real Madrid takes the lead with a score of 1-0 against Valencia. Álvaro Carreras fires a right-footed shot from the center of the box into the bottom left corner of the net, assisted by Dean Huijsen.

65':

GOAL Real Madrid: Álvaro Carreras (Real Madrid) scores!

Álvaro Carreras scores goal number 2 in the competition (20 matches) Álvaro Carreras scores goal number 3 for his team (30 matches)

82':

Missed opportunity! Kylian Mbappé from Real Madrid attempted a left-footed shot from the left side of the penalty area, but it went wide.

Valencia 0, Real Madrid 2. Kylian Mbappé finds the net for Real Madrid with a right-footed strike from the center of the box, placing the ball into the bottom right corner. The assist came from Brahim Díaz.Valencia 0, Real Madrid 2. Kylian Mbappé finds the net for Real Madrid with a right-footed strike from the center of the box, placing it perfectly into the bottom right corner. The assist comes from Brahim Díaz.

90 +1':

GOAL Real Madrid: Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid) scores!

Kylian Mbappé scores goal number 23 in the competition (22 matches) Kylian Mbappé scores goal number 83 for his team (91 matches)

90 +3':

Missed opportunity! Guido Rodríguez from Valencia attempted a right-footed shot from outside the penalty area, but it sailed high and to the right of the goal. The assist came from Umar Sadiq.

90 +5':

Opportunity wasted! Franco Mastantuono from Real Madrid took a left-footed shot from the right side of the penalty area, but it sailed high and to the left of the goal. The assist came from Eduardo Camavinga.

998':

The referee whistles for the end of the match