Real Madrid stumbled into the defense of her La Liga-Crown on Saturday afternoon when Valencia beat Valencia 2-1 in Estadio Santiago Bernabeu.
Mouctar Diakhaby had missed a penalty shortly after Vinicius Junior had missed in the first half, and Madrid’s wing player then reached five minutes after the break when he was extensive.
But Hugo Duro went home in the 95th minute at the end of a brisk counterattack to condemn Madrid for a devastating defeat and avoid Valencia’s offer to avoid relegation.
How the game unfolds
Carlo Ancelotti made four changes from the side that defeated Leganes in La Liga last weekend, and Vinicius was one of those who were again promoted to the starting line -up. The Brazilian was offered the perfect opportunity to end his four-game goal for Madrid from the penalty point after Kylian Mbappe was put down in the area, but he missed his second place in a month when Giorgi Mamardashvili conveniently turned back his weak efforts.
For Los Blancos, only two minutes later we went from bad to the bad when Carlos Corberan’s visiting visitors took over a surprise lead. Diakhaby’s bad header for the silence of Bernabeu when 19-year-old goalkeeper Fran Gonzalez, who made his debut in Madrid, was helpless to prevent the hosts from falling back.
Diakhaby’s commitment knew no boundaries when the central defender of Valencia fired a strange goal of Mamardashvili shortly after the opening of the gate, which was only saved by an offside against Mbappe during the structure. The Guinea international almost later expanded the advantage of his team to the other end and only reached a second too late to convert a teasing corner.
A series of Mbappe shots – from Far Madrid’s lively player during a frustrating first half – came closest to find a compensation, one of which was almost wide on the post and another stabbing the Mamardashvili gloves. But the home team could not have a strike before the half -time pipe.
Ancelotti, on the other hand, decided to make a replacement during the break, and his confidence in his start -up was rewarded just five minutes after the break. After his penalty case, Vinicius received redemption in the first half when he put the ball on the roof of the network after Jude Bellingham’s almost post header on a corner.
It was not surprising that the equalizer lit the home group and finally increase the pace. Rodrygo’s entrance helped to sharpen Madrid’s attacking game, and Mbappe saw another curling man who only brought far on the Valencia post when a winning goal was increasingly inevitable.
Without the fine reflexes of Mamardashvili, Madrid would have found a probable winner with 20 minutes. Mbappe selected Federico Valverde in the penalty area after a few proper work, and the strike of the Uruguayan was professionally repellent by the outstretched palm of the Georgian.
Valencia sank deeper into her own territory in the dying embers and Madrid became increasingly annoying and tried to open up many clear opportunities than the clock followed. But even the most optimistic supporters of the travelers would not have predicted a winner – at least for Los Che.
In exceptional cases, it was Madrid who was at the wrong end of the late drama in the capital. Rafa Mir’s excellent cross was converted by Duro from six meters when Valencia secured her first win of the season and her first victory at Bernabeu for 17 years.
Take a look at the player reviews for Real Madrid 1-2 Valencia.
There was little to indicate that the game on Saturday was a serious threat to Madrid’s title debt. Sure, Valencia has been in a considerable form since Corberan’s arrival in the shelter, but they were in 14 away games in La Liga without victory and had no longer won in Bernabeu in almost two decades.
But Madrid can only have a few complaints about her sobering defeat. They were best away from their ambigued, especially in the last third in which they tried to win consistent dynamics. It was a performance that Madrid would normally get away with, with the last ball and the lethargian in their construction game – but not today.
Of course, the defeat on Saturday puts its title defense in danger. Now three points behind the competitors Barcelona – who can later extend this to six points a day – Madrid drove up before the run.
The trip to Barcelona falls even more pressure at the end of April, although Madrid could be still behind the top position until then.
During her Champions League, Los Blancos had to thank the local rival Atletico Madrid in the last 16 second legs, but Spot Kicks has proven to be a thorn in their side for a large part of the season. This season they took 15 outside of the shootings and missed a third, with Bellingham, Mbappe and Vinicius all failed.
After Vinicius had led one over the crossbar during the collision with Atletico mentioned above last month, he lacked a power or conviction during the terrible strike on Saturday. The Brazilian international, who missed four out of twelve career agents, made Mamardashvili strictly exhausted against Mamardashvili, who didn’t even have to stretch to parry the shot.
Ankelotti raises more questions about another penalty error in relation to his designated taker, although Vinicius will probably not be familiar with the next attempt. Does responsibility return to Mbappe or Bellingham? Or do Madrid have to reveal a new Spot kick specialist?
Madrid’s superstars cohort from superstars played as if they had an eye on the Champions League trip to Arsenal on Tuesday. They probably expected that they will come to Valencia in second gear at home and still triumph, which keeps the energy in reserve for the collision in the Emirates stage.
But Madrid was punished for her complacency and must now answer in North London. With its title requirement, even more meaning is placed in the Champions League, which remains The Competition for the hierarchy and supporter of the club.
Arsenal was also impressed by a lower opposition on Saturday, but that will offer Madrid Little Commerce before the collision on Tuesday. The defeat against Valencia was the worst way to prepare for a mammoth encounter on the continent.