Real Madrid moved to within one point of La Liga leaders Barcelona on Saturday night with a 3-0 away victory against Valencia CF at the Mestalla. The win marks an eighth competitive victory for the club, a winning streak the team has not achieved within a single season since September 2022, according to OneFootball. The victory marks the fifth away win for the Spanish record holders.
Valverde and Güler secure first-half lead
Real Madrid dominated ball control and play style early on, though they struggled against the Valencia defense in the first 20 minutes. Valencia nearly took the lead when a goal by Cesar Tarrega was disallowed for offside following a corner, Spox noted.
Real Madrid took control in the 28th minute after Kylian Mbappé’s free kick struck the defensive wall and rebounded to Federico Valverde, who struck a long-range shot into the bottom left corner, LAOLA1 reported. Eight minutes later, Arda Güler doubled the lead in the 36th minute. A cross from Jude Bellingham was deflected off Pepelu and fell to Güler, who finished with a volley, real total explained. Güler’s goal came after Bellingham won the ball following a turnover and played it back from the touchline.
Mbappé extends lead as Valencia receives red card
Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois also saved a shot from Aaron Mayol early in the match following an error by Aurelien Tchouameni. However, in the 75th minute, Güler provided an assist to Mbappé, who bypassed Dimitrievski to score the third goal, Spox reported. The goal occurred after a brief stoppage in play due to a medical emergency in the stands; Güler delivered a precise pass to Mbappé, who rounded the keeper to score into an empty net.
The match grew heated following the third goal. In the 79th minute, Valencia captain José Gayà was shown a straight red card after a hard foul on Mbappé, LAOLA1 reported. This left Valencia to finish the match with ten players. real total noted the match was highly physical, with Valencia recording 15 fouls, while the total foul count reached 31.
Real Madrid chases Barcelona in title race
The result places Real Madrid on 30 points, matching the total of current leaders Barcelona, Vietnam reported. While Real Madrid holds an extra game played, they remain one point behind the leaders heading into the international break. Barcelona is scheduled to play Atlético Madrid on Sunday, Der Standard reported. A victory for Atlético Madrid would allow them to take the top spot in the standings.
Real Madrid dominated shot statistics and goal efficiency
Real Madrid demonstrated efficiency throughout the match, recording 19 shots with an expected goals (xG) value of 2.26, while Valencia recorded only four shots with an xG of 0.16, FotMob reported. Real Madrid’s performance in the first half was largely decisive, with the scoreline reaching 2-0 before the break.
| Statistic | Real Madrid | Valencia CF |
|---|---|---|
| Goals | 3 | 0 |
| Expected Goals (xG) | 2.26 | 0.16 |
Mbappé’s goal in Valencia was his 13th goal of the season across all competitions, FotMob reported. Federico Valverde also maintained a strong scoring form; his goal in Valencia was his third long-range strike in two consecutive official matches, a feat he had not achieved since October 2022.
Absences and recovery processes affect the squad
Real Madrid continues to manage several absences in their squad. Vinícius Júnior is serving a four-game league suspension, with a potential return expected on November 21 against Celta Vigo. During recent training sessions, Aurelien Tchouameni has been working individually, while Asencio and Rodrygo continue their respective recovery processes.