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Real Madrid pulled off a stunning late turnaround at Mestalla, scoring twice in the final 10 minutes to defeat Valencia 2-1 in their rescheduled LaLiga Matchday 12 clash.
Luka Modrić and Jude Bellingham were the heroes, sealing a dramatic victory despite Madrid being reduced to 10 men after Vinícius Júnior’s “controversial” red card in the 79th minute.
The match, originally set for November 2, 2024, was postponed due to severe flooding and torrential rain caused by the DANA weather phenomenon, which forced the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) to suspend all professional and non-professional matches in the Valencian Community.
Two months later, the teams finally faced off in front of a packed Mestalla crowd.
Valencia struck first in the 27th minute through Hugo Duro, who pounced on a loose ball inside the box and slotted past Andriy Lunin. The goal gave the home side confidence as Madrid struggled to find their rhythm in the first half.
However, the match’s turning point came late in the second half when Vinícius was shown a red card after a heated exchange with Valencia goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski. Despite protests from the Madrid camp, the referee’s decision stood, leaving Carlo Ancelotti’s side to fight with 10 men.
But in classic Real Madrid fashion, the reigning champions rose to the occasion. Modrić fired home the equalizer in the 85th minute with a powerful strike from the edge of the area.
As Valencia looked to hold on for a draw, Bellingham delivered the decisive blow deep into stoppage time, heading in the winner in the 95th minute to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
Ancelotti post-match assessment
Speaking after the match, Ancelotti didn’t shy away from addressing his team’s shortcomings, particularly in the first half.
“The team was able to bounce back from obstacles in the sending-off, the missed penalty, and the goal ruled out,” he admitted.
“It’s hard to explain how bad we were in the first half, and how well we played in the second. They are three well-deserved points, but we can’t see a repeat of this: a horrible first half, no balance, and then a superb second period with ten men.”
Ancelotti praised the players for their resilience but warned against inconsistency.
“I’ve congratulated the players in the dressing room and told them exactly what I’ve just said to you. It was a very poor first half and a very good second. We started to play after the goal and the second half was really impressive, down to ten men and all the problems we had. It’s a deserved victory.”
Vini’s red, appeal
Reflecting on Vinícius’ sending-off, Ancelotti expressed his disagreement with the referee’s decision.
“We felt the sending-off should have been two yellows, one for each player, but they showed Vini Jr. a red. We’re going to appeal it. I don’t know if they’ll overturn it, but we don’t feel it was a red card. Dimitrievski laid hands on him and then there was Vini Jr.’s shove. Two yellows would have sufficed.”
“I don’t want to say he fell into the trap, but Vini Jr. struggled a bit. He was playing outside in the first half and just tried to play his game.
“Sometimes it all comes off for him, sometimes it doesn’t. I hope he can play in the next game because he’s very much a player who makes the difference for us.”
Bellingham redemption
Bellingham’s missed penalty earlier in the match could have been costly, but the young English midfielder redeemed himself with the winning goal.
“He had a great game. The missed penalty gave him extra motivation, and he played the last half hour as only he knows how,” Ancelotti said. “He worked hard and helped Mbappé up front. The goal was a reward for his performance.”
La Liga table
The victory strengthens Real Madrid’s grip on the top spot in LaLiga, moving them to 43 points, two ahead of Atlético Madrid, who have a game in hand. Madrid now sit five points clear of Barcelona and six ahead of Athletic Bilbao, with all teams having played the same number of games.
As the title race intensifies, Ancelotti’s men have once again demonstrated their ability to rise in critical moments – a hallmark of champions.
