Real Madrid closed Barcelona’s gap on the LaLiga title race with a 2–0 win away to Valencia at the Mestalla. The result keeps them one point away from league leaders Barcelona. The match lacked fluency for long spells, but moments of individual quality proved decisive as Madrid showed patience and composure to take all three points.
Valencia started with intensity, pushing men forward early and sending a series of deliveries into the Madrid penalty area. The hosts’ energy unsettled the visitors in the opening stages, but clear chances were limited. As the first half wore on, Madrid gradually imposed themselves on the game, with Kylian Mbappé and Arda Güler beginning to find pockets of space, though Valencia goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski stood firm when called upon.
The breakthrough finally arrived just after the hour mark through Álvaro Carreras, who produced a moment of brilliance to lift the contest. Driving into the box, Carreras beat multiple challenges before guiding a precise shot into the corner of the net, a goal that underlined Madrid’s growing control. Valencia responded with urgency and came close to equalising soon after, but their best opportunity drifted narrowly wide, summing up a frustrating evening for the home side.
As Valencia committed more players forward in search of a leveller, spaces opened up late on, and Madrid capitalised. In stoppage time, Mbappé finished off a swift move to seal the win, notching his 23rd league goal of the campaign and further enhancing his impressive scoring record. The result keeps Real Madrid firmly in the title picture, while Valencia remain perilously close to the relegation zone, still searching for consistency at a critical stage of the season.
