Match report & 3 speaking factors as Los Blancos stumble in title race
Actual Madrid stumbled within the defence of their La Liga crown on Saturday afternoon as they had been overwhelmed 2-1 by Valencia on the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu.
Mouctar Diakhaby had opened the scoring shortly after Vinicius Junior missed a penalty throughout a dramatic first half, with the Madrid winger then redeeming himself 5 minutes after the break as he equalised from shut vary.
However Hugo Duro headed house the winner for the guests within the ninety fifth minute on the finish of a brisk counter-attack, condemning Madrid to a devastating defeat and boosting Valencia’s bid to keep away from relegation.
How the sport unfolded
Carlo Ancelotti made 4 modifications from the aspect that beat Leganes in La Liga final weekend and Vinicius was a kind of promoted again into the beginning lineup. The Brazilian was provided the right alternative to finish his four-game purpose drought for Madrid from the penalty spot after Kylian Mbappe was introduced down within the space, however he missed his second spot kick within the area of a month as Giorgi Mamardashvili comfortably rebuffed his weak effort.
Issues went from dangerous to worse for Los Blancos simply two minutes later as Carlos Corberan’s resurgent guests took a shock lead. Diakhaby’s thumping header silenced the Bernabeu as 19-year-old goalkeeper Fran Gonzalez, who was making his Madrid debut, was helpless to forestall the hosts from falling behind.
Diakhaby’s involvement knew no bounds because the Valencia centre-back fired a comical personal purpose past Mamardashvili shortly after opening the scoring, saved solely by an offside in opposition to Mbappe through the build-up. The Guinea worldwide then virtually prolonged his aspect’s benefit on the different finish moments later, arriving on the far put up only a second too late to transform a teasing nook.
A collection of Mbappe pictures – by far Madrid’s liveliest participant throughout a irritating first half – got here closest to discovering an equaliser, one in every of which whistled narrowly broad of the put up and one other stinging the gloves of Mamardashvili. However the house aspect had been unable to muster a levelling strike earlier than the half-time whistle.
Ancelotti opted in opposition to making any substitutions on the break and his religion in his beginning forged was rewarded simply 5 minutes after the break. Vinicius earned redemption following his first-half penalty miss as he flicked the ball into the roof of the web after Jude Bellingham’s near-post header at a nook.
Unsurprisingly, the equaliser ignited the house crowd and the hosts lastly began to up the tempo. Rodrygo’s entrance earlier than the hour mark helped sharpen Madrid’s attacking play and Mbappe noticed one other roller fly simply broad of the Valencia put up as a successful purpose appeared more and more inevitable.
If it wasn’t for the fantastic reflexes of Mamardashvili, Madrid would have discovered a probable winner with 20 minutes to spare. Mbappe picked out Federico Valverde after some neat work contained in the penalty space and the Uruguayan’s close-range strike was expertly repelled by the Georgian’s outstretched palm.
Valencia sunk deeper into their very own territory within the dying embers and Madrid grew more and more exasperated, struggling to carve open many clear-cut alternatives because the clock ticked down. However even probably the most optimistic of travelling supporters wouldn’t have predicted a winner – properly, for Los Che a minimum of.
For as soon as, it was Madrid who had been on the improper finish of late drama within the capital, with Rafa Mir’s glorious cross transformed by Duro from six yards as Valencia secured their first away win of the season and their first victory on the Bernabeu in 17 years.
Try the participant rankings for Actual Madrid 1-2 Valencia right here.
There was little to counsel that Saturday’s fixture posed a severe risk to Madrid’s title cost. Positive, Valencia are in a lot improved type since Corberan’s arrival within the dugout however they had been with out victory in 14 away matches in La Liga and hadn’t triumphed on the Bernabeu in virtually twenty years.
However Madrid can have few complaints about their sobering defeat. They had been removed from their swashbuckling greatest, particularly within the remaining third the place they struggled to realize any constant momentum. Wasteful with the ultimate ball and torpid of their build-up play, it was a efficiency that Madrid would usually get away with – however not at this time.
After all, Saturday’s defeat places their title defence in peril. Now three factors behind rivals Barcelona – who can lengthen that to 6 factors by beating Actual Betis later within the day – Madrid have snookered themselves forward of the run-in.
Much more stress now falls on the journey to Barcelona in late April, though Madrid might discover themselves even additional behind prime spot by then.
Los Blancos had penalties to thank throughout their Champions League final 16 second leg with native rivals Atletico Madrid, however spot kicks have confirmed a thorn of their aspect for a lot of the season. They’ve taken 15 exterior of shootouts this time period and have missed a 3rd, with Bellingham, Mbappe and Vinicius having all failed from the spot.
Having blazed one over the crossbar through the aforementioned conflict with Atletico final month, Vinicius lacked any energy or conviction in Saturday’s dreadful strike. The Brazil worldwide – who has missed 4 of 12 profession spot kicks – dribbled a pathetic effort in the direction of Mamardashvili, who did not even must stretch to parry the shot.
One other penalty blunder raises extra questions for Ancelotti concerning his designated taker, with Vinicius unlikely to be trusted with the following try. Does the accountability return to Mbappe or Bellingham? Or do Madrid must uncover a brand new spot kick specialist?
Madrid’s cohort of superstars performed as if they already had one eye on Tuesday’s Champions League journey to Arsenal. They probably anticipated to breeze by in second gear at house to Valencia and nonetheless triumph, retaining power in reserve for the conflict on the Emirates Stadium.
However Madrid had been punished for his or her complacency and now should reply in north London. With their title bid fading, much more significance will now be positioned on the Champions League, which stays the competitors for the membership’s hierarchy and supporters.
Arsenal additionally slipped up in opposition to lesser opposition on Saturday, however that may supply Madrid little solace forward of Tuesday’s conflict. Defeat to Valencia was the worst method to put together for a mammoth encounter on the continent.
