For Valencia, languishing in 18th place and desperate for points, this was a chance to shock the giants. For Real Madrid, sitting second with title ambitions burning bright, three points were non-negotiable. In the end, class told at Mestalla Stadium as the visitors ground out a 2-0 victory that keeps their championship hopes alive while deepening Valencia's relegation fears.
The match unfolded as a tactical chess match for much of the evening, with Madrid controlling 60.1% of possession and pinning the hosts back for long stretches. Yet Valencia, organized and defiant, refused to buckle easily. Their disciplined defensive shape frustrated Madrid's attacking stars, and goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski stood as a formidable barrier, making four crucial saves to keep his side competitive deep into the second half.
The breakthrough finally arrived in the 65th minute when Álvaro Carreras provided the moment of quality Madrid had been searching for. Dean Huijsen, the young defender pushing forward with confidence, delivered a precise pass into the box, and Carreras met it with a clinical right-footed finish that found the bottom left corner with surgical precision. Dimitrievski, who had been Valencia's heroic last line of defense until that point, could only watch as the ball nestled into the net. The goal was a reward for Madrid's patient build-up play and their relentless willingness to probe for openings against a stubborn defensive block.
Valencia, to their credit, refused to surrender. Lucas Beltrán struck the left post in the 71st minute with a left-footed effort that had the home supporters briefly believing an equalizer was possible. Filip Ugrinic's perfectly weighted cross had picked out the Argentine striker, but the cruel woodwork denied Valencia what would have been a deserved leveler. That moment proved to be the hosts' best chance to salvage something from the match, and it would come back to haunt them in the most devastating manner.
As the clock ticked into stoppage time, Madrid delivered the knockout blow with clinical precision. Brahim Díaz, introduced as a substitute to inject fresh legs and creative energy, threaded a perfectly weighted pass through Valencia's tiring defensive lines. Kylian Mbappé, who had been kept relatively quiet by Valencia's resolute backline for most of the evening, suddenly showed his world-class predatory instincts. He latched onto the ball with lightning speed and slotted a right-footed shot past Dimitrievski into the bottom right corner in the 90th minute plus one. It was a goal that epitomized Madrid's quality in the final third and their ruthless ability to punish opponents when it matters most.
The statistics painted a comprehensive picture of Madrid's dominance. They registered 11 shots to Valencia's seven, with six efforts on target compared to Valencia's zero. The visitors also won eight corners to Valencia's five, demonstrating their territorial advantage throughout the contest. Yet the numbers also revealed Valencia's defensive resilience—Dimitrievski's four saves kept his team competitive until Carreras finally broke through.
Dimitrievski had been called into action earlier in the match, denying David Jiménez in the 28th minute with a smart save after Mbappé had set up the young defender. Just four minutes earlier, the Macedonian goalkeeper had also thwarted Mbappé himself, stopping a right-footed effort from outside the box after Gonzalo García's clever through ball. Those saves kept Valencia's hopes alive and demonstrated why they've managed to stay competitive despite their lowly league position.
The match wasn't without its physical moments. Álvaro Carreras picked up a yellow card in the 69th minute for a robust challenge on Lucas Beltrán, while Valencia's Copete saw yellow in the 88th minute for bringing down Franco Mastantuono. The 13 fouls committed by Madrid and 10 by Valencia reflected the intense, competitive nature of the encounter, with neither side willing to concede an inch in the midfield battles.
For Madrid, this victory maintains their relentless pursuit of the league leaders, keeping them firmly in the title conversation with 45 points from 19 matches. Their impressive goal difference of plus-24 reflects their attacking prowess this season, and performances like this—grinding out results when not at their most fluent—are the hallmark of potential champions. Federico Valverde, Aurélien Tchouaméni, and Eduardo Camavinga controlled the midfield with intelligence and composure, while Arda Güler provided creative sparks from the right flank.
Valencia's situation grows more precarious with each passing week. With just 17 points and a goal difference of minus-13, they sit in the relegation zone with genuine and mounting concerns about their top-flight status. Hugo Duro and Luis Rioja worked tirelessly up front, but their lack of cutting edge in the final third—evidenced by their zero shots on target—suggests survival will require significant tactical and personnel improvements. Pepelu and Filip Ugrinic battled hard in midfield, but the quality in the opposition ranks ultimately proved the decisive factor.
The defeat extends Valencia's winless run and leaves them staring at a daunting challenge when they travel to face Levante on February 15. Every match now carries enormous weight for a club with such proud history facing the very real prospect of relegation. Meanwhile, Real Madrid will look to maintain this winning momentum when they host Alhama on February 15, knowing that consistency in these fixtures is essential if they're to overhaul the leaders and claim the title.
The victory at Mestalla was professional rather than spectacular, but three points on the road against desperate opposition is never straightforward. Madrid will take the result, analyze their performance, and move forward with renewed confidence in their championship quest.