Valencia – Real Madrid (1-2): match notes!

Real Madrid miraculously escaped Valencia’s trap by winning 2-1 at 10 against 11 thanks to Modric and Bellingham, who returned the score late in the match.

Thibaut Courtois (7/10) : the Real Madrid goalkeeper put out a great performance and could do nothing about the goal conceded. He is one of the few to have been level in the first half.

Lucas Vázquez (4/10) : we understood that this was not your position Lucas. Afterwards, you’re supposed to know how to attack, and yet we don’t see it either. No successful crosses, only one duel won.

Aurélien Tchouaméni (5/10) : clearly the least bad of the defensive line. Great confidence in the air with 6 aerial duels won out of 6 contested.

Antonio Rüdiger (4/10) : it’s tough this season for Rüdiger and this match proves it. He no longer has the capacity to succeed in sublimating himself to compensate for the defensive errors of those around him.

Ferland Mendy (3/10) : not helped by the gaping hole left on his side by the lack of withdrawal from Bellingham, Mbappé or Vinicius, Mendy is still too limited. Offensively useless and defensively shaky, we saw the difference in the first action after the entry of Camavinga.

Federico Valverde (6/10) : obliged to do everything, and therefore to do too much. Valverde is not a superman and despite good streaks, he cannot duplicate himself on the pitch.

Dani Ceballos (5/10) : idea and verticality with the ball but delays sometimes too long on transitions. Out of position too regularly in defensive transition.

Jude Bellingham (8/10) : missed penalty for Jude who did not show his best face for 80 minutes. But with two actions, two gestures, he saves his team. First by slipping a goal ball to the legend Luka Modrić then by scoring himself in the money-time, he proves that that’s also what being a star is. Man of the match.

Rodrygo (4/10) : much too discreet. We didn’t see him during the match on the Real Madrid side, even if he was the one on the offensive line who made the most effort.

Vinicius Jr. (3/10) : no, it’s not red, or it’s red for both. Now another path is possible, that of ignoring the provocation. Much easier said than done, but Vinicius can and must learn to channel himself. Especially since we feel all the frustration in his gesture because his match is completely unsuccessful, even before his expulsion.

Kylian Mbappé (7/10) : the most affected in the first half, the Frenchman tried a lot and succeeded. He causes the penalty and scores a great goal, unfortunately offside by a few millimeters.

Carlo Ancelotti (5/10) : Ancelotti chose to leave Camavinga on the bench in place of Ferland Mendy and Dani Ceballos for this match. An error when we see how Real Madrid suffered waves during the first half on their left side. The changes were late, as always, but were totally successful and changed the match to 10 against 11.

Brahim Díaz (entered in the 67th minute in place of Rodrygo) 7/10 : involved in the equalization thanks to excellent recovery.

Eduardo Camavinga (entered in the 67th minute in place of Mendy) 7/10 : on his first action, he made a catch on the ball that we did not see during the match from Mendy. That says it all.

Luka Modrić (entered in the 79th minute in place of Ceballos) 8/10 : Luka Modrić as a savior with his first goal of the season. Experience spoke in his favor and he saved Real Madrid 10 against 11.

Raul Asencio (entered in the 92nd minute instead of Bellingham) : Not rated.