Jude Bellingham made amends for missing a penalty by snatching 10-man Real Madrid a 2-1 victory at Valencia on Friday to take them to the top of La Liga after winger Vinicius Junior was sent off.
Hugo Duro sent the hosts ahead in the first half of this feisty clash, but Luka Modric leveled for Carlo Ancelotti's side, before Bellingham pounced during stoppage time.
Vinicius, who had previously squared off with Valencia supporters who racially abused him at the same stadium last year, was dismissed for pushing Valencia goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski with just over ten minutes remaining. Madrid were trailing when Bellingham set up veteran midfielder Modric, who equalized for Madrid five minutes later.
Bellingham then struck decisively at the 96th minute after Valencia's defensive error, ensuring Real Madrid would finish the match two points clear of Atletico Madrid, who have played one game less.
A delighted Ancelotti praised Bellingham's performance, stating, "(Bellingham had a) great game, he didn't dip after the missed penalty; it gave him extra motivation. He made an extraordinary effort... (scoring) was a reward for him for the game he had."
The manager also expressed surprise at Vinicius' red card decision, saying, "We didn't think it was a red card... he went off and the team reacted to the red, the missed penalty." Ancelotti elaborated on the team's performance, stating, "It's hard to explain how badly we did in the first half and how good we did in the second, even with ten men. It's three very important points, deserved, but we can't show these two sides (of ourselves)."
The match, initially scheduled for the end of October, was postponed after severe flooding impacted the region on Spain's east coast. Valencia, sitting at the bottom of the table with only 12 points from 18 matches, recently appointed Carlos Corberan as their head coach after sacking Ruben Baraja.
The home side started the match with confidence, managing to contain Madrid's star-studded attacking lineup. They took the lead after 27 minutes when Duro seized on Thibaut Courtois’ attempt to save Javi Guerra’s effort, converting the rebound easily.
Real Madrid's fortunes seemed to worsen when Bellingham, having previously shown promise, squandered the opportunity to equalize from the penalty spot early in the second half, hitting the post instead.
Mbappe, who failed to convert two penalties prior to Christmas, had the ball in the net moments later, only to see it disallowed for offside. The situation escalated for Madrid when Vinicius was sent off for shoving Dimitrievski. The Brazilian's outburst, following the goalkeeper’s push, left him visibly furious as he was escorted off the pitch.
Despite being down to ten men, Madrid fought back. Substituted only moments before the equalizer, Modric, at the ripe age of 39, scored the equalizer after Bellingham assisted him.
Bellingham's moment of glory came late as he capitalized on Valencia's foul play. After intercepting a back pass from Hugo Guillamon, he finished clinically, redeeming himself for the earlier penalty miss.
With the match on the line, Valencia's Luis Rioja nearly stole the game when he struck the post during the final moments, illustrating the tension and stakes of the encounter.
Duro remarked post-match, "I don't care (about scoring); the important thing was the three points and we didn't get them," hinting at Valencia's struggles this season.
Real Madrid's victory allowed them to amass 43 points, continuing their consistent performance this season. The match underlined the importance of resilience, character, and unity among the players as they look to solidify their position at the top of La Liga.
This match significantly boosted Real Madrid’s standings but marked yet another low point for Valencia, who have yet to win since November and remain perilously close to relegation.