Jude Bellingham was the hero once again for Real Madrid, scoring a last-gasp winner in a dramatic 2-1 victory over Valencia on Friday night. Despite being down to 10 men after Vinicius Junior’s red card, Madrid fought back to secure all three points and climb to the top of La Liga.
The game was as intense as it gets. Valencia came out strong, determined to make life tough for Carlo Ancelotti’s team. They opened the scoring in the 27th minute when Javi Guerra’s shot was saved by Thibaut Courtois, but Hugo Duro pounced on the rebound to give the home side a deserved lead.
Madrid struggled to find their rhythm in the first half. Even their brightest stars seemed off their game. Things got worse in the second half when Jude Bellingham missed a penalty, hitting the post after Valencia keeper Stole Dimitrievski was caught off his line.
The match had another twist when Vinicius Junior was sent off for shoving Dimitrievski in the back of the neck. The Brazilian winger reacted after a challenge in the box, leaving his team with just 10 men and little time on the clock.
But Real Madrid never gives up. Bellingham made amends for his earlier miss by setting up Luka Modric for the equalizer in the 85th minute. The Croatian veteran, at 39 years old, showed he still has plenty left in the tank, calmly slotting the ball into the net.
The drama didn’t stop there. In the 96th minute, Valencia’s defense cracked under pressure. A poor back pass from Hugo Guillamon was intercepted by Bellingham, who raced forward and finished with precision. The away fans erupted as Madrid completed their comeback in stunning fashion.
After the match, Bellingham was full of energy, saying the missed penalty only pushed him to work harder. “I didn’t let it get to me. I just kept going,” he said.
Carlo Ancelotti praised his team for their determination but admitted the performance wasn’t perfect. “We were poor in the first half but brilliant in the second. It’s a huge win, but we can’t play like that for 90 minutes.”
For Valencia, the loss was another tough blow. They haven’t won a league game since November and remain stuck in 19th place. New coach Carlos Corberan has a lot of work to do to lift his team out of the relegation zone. Hugo Duro, who scored their only goal, said, “I don’t care about my goals. I just want us to win games.”
The match also had a bittersweet moment for Vinicius, who later apologized to his teammates on social media for his red card. “Sorry and thank you, team,” he posted.
Valencia nearly salvaged a draw in the dying moments when Luis Rioja’s long-range effort struck the post. It was a heart-stopping moment, but Madrid held on for the win.
With this victory, Real Madrid moves two points clear of Atletico Madrid at the top of the table, although Atletico has a game in hand. The La Liga title race is heating up, and nights like this remind everyone why football is called “the beautiful game.”
Real Madrid will now shift their focus to the next challenge, while Valencia must regroup quickly to avoid sinking further into trouble. Fans, however, won’t forget this thrilling clash anytime soon
