Real Madrid lose ground in La Liga title race with late defeat to Valencia. Real Madrid have just missed a golden opportunity to keep pace at the top of La Liga. At the Santiago Bernabéu, the Madrid side suffered a 2-1 defeat to Valencia in the final moments of the match.
Player ratings
Fran Gonzalez: 5/10
In his first professional appearance, the 19-year-old goalkeeper wasn’t heavily tested. After a relatively quiet first half—marred only by a conceded goal—Fran Gonzalez made a crucial save in the second half, but it wasn’t enough to prevent Real Madrid’s defeat. There’s little blame to be placed on the young Madrid keeper.
Fran Garcia: 6/10
A solid performance from the Spanish full-back. On his flank, Garcia once again showed he is a capable attacking left-back with his overlapping runs and crosses. Defensively, he wasn’t put under too much pressure against Valencia.
Aurélien Tchouaméni: 7/10
A strong showing from the Frenchman. Although playing out of position in defence, he held his ground well, won several duels, and made key interceptions to cut out dangerous balls.
Antonio Rüdiger: 4/10
Expected to be the leader in defence, Rüdiger disappointed. He lost his duel on Valencia’s opening goal from a corner and struggled in aerial battles. He’ll need to bounce back ahead of Tuesday’s clash.
Lucas Vázquez: 6/10
A decent outing from Vázquez. The Spanish right-back contributed well going forward. Defensively, he held his own with the support of midfielders like Modric and Valverde.
Luka Modric: 7/10
The veteran was simply outstanding. Despite his age, Modric was one of the most influential players on the pitch. He contributed both defensively and offensively and was involved in the equaliser with a well-delivered corner.
Federico Valverde: 7/10
Nothing new here—just classic Valverde. Tireless in midfield, the Uruguayan was a key figure. Thanks to his work rate, Real’s midfield got the better of Valencia’s.
Brahim Diaz: 6/10
A respectable performance from the Moroccan international. In the 55 minutes he played, Diaz added speed and dribbling ability to the attacking play. He put in a decent shift.
Jude Bellingham: 7/10
A good display from the English midfielder. As usual, Bellingham gave everything. His determination helped him win back possession and create numerous attacking opportunities.
Vinicius Junior: 6/10
At fault for missing a penalty early on, Vini endured a difficult first half filled with missed chances and sloppy play. Thankfully, he redeemed himself with the equalising goal early in the second half.
Kylian Mbappé: 7/10
In tremendous form! Once again, Mbappé showed why he’s among the best strikers in the world. A constant threat up front, he won a penalty and created several chances. He forced Valencia’s keeper into multiple saves, but lacked the luck to find the net.
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