Real Madrid has scored its eighth straight win in La Liga, defeating Valencia 0-3 in a match where the Madrid side’s superiority was evident from the first half. Initially, VAR saved Real, as the hosts had scored the advantage goal. The referee disallowed everything for offside.
After this episode, Real took total control of the game and did not let it go until the end of the match. In doing so, it turned the match into a show of force against a powerless Valencia unable to get back into the game. This success put Mourinho’s team back in the race on all fronts for every trophy.
On points, Real provisionally overtakes Barça with 30 points. A clean and convincing win for the Madrid side, which continue their extraordinary run in the Spanish championship. The first goal came in the 28th minute, when Valverde unlocked the scoring with a real strike from distance, making it 0-1 for Real.
Eight minutes later, in the 36th, Arda Güler doubled the lead, accurately hitting the target inside the box and finding the back of the net past the home goalkeeper. Thus, Real went into the dressing rooms with a clear two-goal advantage, while Valencia failed to respond to Madrid’s pressure.
In the second half, Kylian Mbappé could not be absent from the scoresheet either. In the 75th minute he was accurately played in by Güler, rounded the goalkeeper and sealed the final score at 0-3. After this goal, Valencia were also reduced to 10 players following a serious challenge on Mbappé, effectively ending any chance of a comeback.
Beyond its significance in the La Liga standings, this success was also important for Mourinho on a personal level, as the Portuguese reaches a 77% win rate in La Liga. Asked about this statistic at the press conference, Mourinho said: “This shows that we must win the next match, because in this life people forget the good figures, which may have some importance.
We do not live on the numbers of the past. We live in the present and we must win the next match. Being here with these numbers is a source of pride, but the next match is the most important”.
Real Madrid’s win over Valencia comes at a pivotal moment of the season, keeping the team in the race for all trophies and giving Mourinho another personal achievement in the Spanish championship.