Vinícius misses a penalty and Madrid loses at the Bernabéu

Carlos Corberán's Valencia is a rejuvenated team. They climbed out of the relegation zone and were able to go toe-to-toe with Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu. And not only did they hold their own, they also won, thanks to a goal in stoppage time against a team that had forgotten how to defend (1-2). The first away win of the season for the Che team. A result that is golden for Valencia and another thorn in the side of Real Madrid, who are gradually losing their chances of winning La Liga.

Overall, Madrid played a poor game, lacking in collective play, and with Mbappé as the only player who gave them the courage. They could have won, because they had dangerous attacks and interesting shots from the French forward. And they also provided assists, like the one Valverde finished off, which Mamardashvili blocked with his fingertips. It's true, the visiting goalkeeper was decisive. But Madrid lacked many things because individual quality isn't always enough, especially against opponents who clearly were playing for their lives. Ancelotti's team played in fits and starts, catching their fingers in knots. A poor presentation before hosting Arsenal in the Champions League quarterfinals.

Valencia had notable absences, such as Gayá, Rioja, and Foulquier, who had received their fifth yellow card and were serving a suspension. Meanwhile, for the home side, Fran González was the main change in Carlo Ancelotti's starting lineup. The Madrid reserve team goalkeeper was making his debut, at 19 years old, due to Courtois' injury and Lunin's muscle problems. He only faced one shot in the first half, and it was Diakhaby's goal, who effortlessly finished off a poorly defended corner and put Valencia ahead in a move the young goalkeeper could do little about. If the Whites lost, it wasn't his fault, as he made some worthy saves in the second half, but he was wasted on the winning goal, where Valencia again finished with ease.

Vinícius misses a debatable penalty on Mbappé

The 1-0 scoreline came in the quarter-hour mark of a match in which so much had already happened. Just a few minutes earlier, Madrid had wasted a golden opportunity to take the lead. A questionable penalty on Mbappé—which even VAR reviewed, but which the referee, Madrid's Guillermo Cuadra Fernández, assigned to the Balearic Islands Committee, still accepted—but Vinícius let him down. The winger had a poor game, only partially redeemed by the goal he scored in the second half, finishing off a corner that, on this occasion, Valencia had defended poorly.

Between the visitors' goal in the 15th minute and the equalizer at the start of the second half, the most surreal moment of the match occurred. Mbappé received a cross but failed to finish well in the box, leaving the ball dead for Diakhaby, who incomprehensibly cleared the ball to his sideline. He did so so poorly that he scored into his own net. But VAR saved him, as the Real Madrid forward was slightly offside at the start of the play, and the goal was disallowed. Luckily, the defender didn't know where to hide.

It seemed like the tie would be decisive, because Madrid couldn't find a way to score and Valencia were already content with the result. But a lethal counterattack arrived in stoppage time. A transition in which the Whites forgot to defend, and Hugo Duro, coming through the middle like a rocket, finished off Rafa Mir's cross into the net. The referee, in the name of looking good, decided to extend the match by almost three minutes, but everything was a given. Valencia beat a disoriented Madrid.