Luka Modric and Jude Bellingham secured victory for Real Madrid at the Mestalla on Friday, winning 1-2 in a match postponed due to unfavorable weather conditions. Valencia first opened the scoring through Hugo Duro, but the visitors managed to turn things around to take the lead in LaLiga EA Sports, despite a missed penalty by Bellingham, a Kylian Mbappé goal disallowed, and a Vinícius was given a direct red card, leaving Madrid with ten players.
This first meeting of 2025 took place at the Mestalla with high stakes. A Valencia – Real Madrid match is never a quiet affair, and Friday’s encounter had all the makings of a big clash, including a tribute to Real Madrid for their invaluable help after the natural disaster, as well as a protest against local owner Peter Lim outside the stadium.
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Before kick-off, José Gayà presented Lucas Vázquez with a plaque commemorating the tribute organized by Valencia, highlighting the ‘senyera’ offered by Real Madrid. Meanwhile, thousands of Valencia fans – estimated at between two and five thousand, but far fewer than expected – remained outside until the 19th minute in protest against the club’s management.
On the pitch, Carlos Corberán, making his debut as Valencia coach, lined up three central defenders to counter a Real Madrid team strengthened by the return of Vinícius after his suspension. The stakes were clear: a victory would have propelled Real Madrid to the top of the table, while Valencia sought to escape the relegation zone.
Real Madrid took the lead straight away, with Federico Valverde needing just six minutes to shoot powerfully, but his central shot was easily saved by goalkeeper Dimitrievski.
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Despite their precarious position, Valencia reacted quickly, with Hugo Duro forcing an exceptional save from Courtois. Valencia’s strategy relied on attacks via Luis Rioja’s left flank, which led to their first opportunity.
After a strong start, Real Madrid began to dominate possession with Vinícius and Bellingham showing good form, but they struggled to break through Valencia’s strong defense. Despite their relative inexperience, Tárrega, Mosquera, and Yarek held their ground, and whenever they were overwhelmed, Dimitrievski was there to save the day.
Valencia continued to harass, and in the 27th minute Mestalla exploded when Courtois made a fantastic save from Javi Guerra, allowing Hugo Duro to convert the lying ball, putting the home side in the lead. Valencia needed few chances to take the lead, keeping the pressure on as a resolute Dimitrievski stopped another Vinícius attempt as Mestalla chanted ‘beach ball’ at the Brazilian.
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The second half started without a clear advantage until the 53rd minute, when Mbappé entered the box and won a penalty after a collision with Tárrega. Bellingham came forward to take the penalty but hit the post.
The atmosphere at the Mestalla became electric, reminiscent of old glories, but Mbappé quickly silenced the crowd with a goal ultimately ruled out for offside, reviving the support of the locals. While Real Madrid dominated the game, Valencia held firm.
In the 76th minute, during an exchange between Dimitrievski and Vinícius where the goalkeeper asked the attacker to get up, Vinícius responded by striking Dimitrievski’s neck, resulting in a red card after the VAR review, recalling his previous expulsion two seasons ago. ‘Vinícius, beach ball’ resounded louder than ever, but the white side did not give up.
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Modric came on and, within five minutes, scored the equalizer with a delicate finish past Dimitrievski. With the score at 1-1, referee Soto Grado added nine minutes, and Real Madrid took the lead thanks to a gift from Guillamón after an ill-adjusted pass from Foulquier, which Bellingham was able to exploit. In the 100th minute, Luis Rioja hit the crossbar in a desperate attempt to equalize as Valencia fought valiantly until the final whistle.
Vinícius’ second expulsion
Brazilian striker Vinícius Júnior was sent off for the second time in his professional career, again at the Mestalla, after responding to Dimitrievski’s gesture with a blow to the neck. Vinícius, who had been the target of ‘beach ball’ chants throughout the match, endured a contentious encounter filled with appeals to the referee, including a request for a penalty in the first half and several requests for cards against the Valencia players.
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After missing a scoring opportunity with Real Madrid trailing 1-0, Vinícius fell to the ground, prompting Dimitrievski to touch his back to get him up. The Brazilian stood up angrily and punched Dimitrievski, who fell theatrically.
Referee César Soto Grado initially showed yellow cards to both players, but after VAR intervention, he showed Vinícius the red card, the same day the striker was returning from a suspension for accumulating cards. .
Following his sending off, Vinícius later apologized and expressed his gratitude to his teammates for their efforts in coming back from a numerical disadvantage.
“Sorry and thank you, team!!!!!!” published Vinícius on his official X account, accompanying his victory gestures with his fingers.
