Real Madrid defeated Valencia 3-0 at Mestalla on Saturday, extending their winning streak to eight games and drawing level with Barcelona at the top of La Liga. Goals from Federico Valverde, Arda Güler, and Kylian Mbappé secured the victory, while Valencia’s captain José Gayà was sent off in the second half.

Real Madrid overcame a physical challenge from Valencia to claim a comprehensive 3-0 victory and maintain their charge toward the La Liga title. The result, as reported by m.sport.bild.de, saw the “Königlichen” assert their dominance despite the aggressive approach of the hosts, who committed 26 fouls throughout the match.

Federico Valverde opened the scoring in the 28th minute, capitalizing on a rebound from a blocked Kylian Mbappé free-kick. Just eight minutes later, Jude Bellingham set up Arda Güler to make it 2-0, a scoreline that sportschau.de noted “the guests carried into halftime.” The game was briefly paused in the ninth minute for a moment of silence dedicated to Jesus de Miguel, a Teneriffa player who died recently after a collision with an opposing goalkeeper, sportschau.de reported.

Valencia Disrupts Madrid's Rhythm

Valencia’s game plan was clear from the outset: disrupt Real Madrid’s rhythm with physical play. The hosts’ aggressive style was a constant theme, with m.sport.bild.de noting the “grenzwertige Spielweise” (borderline play style) of the “Fledermäuse.” This approach was typified by defender Guido Rodríguez, who received a yellow card in the 50th minute for a late challenge from behind on Yan Diomande, m.sport.bild.de reported.

Despite the pressure, Real Madrid’s efficiency in the final third proved decisive. The visitors controlled possession and created the better opportunities. Valencia did have a notable chance in the 19th minute when 18-year-old talent Aaron Mayol, after winning the ball from a lapse by Aurelien Tchouaméni, forced a strong save from Thibaut Courtois, sportschau.de noted. An early goal from Guido Rodríguez was correctly ruled out for offside, sportschau.de reported.

Güler and Mbappé Seal the Win

The second half saw Real Madrid extend their lead. In the 75th minute, Arda Güler, who was instrumental in the attack, provided a “fantastischen Steckpass” (fantastic through-ball) to Mbappé. The French forward rounded the keeper and slotted the ball home from a narrow angle to make it 3-0, m.sport.bild.de reported. The goal was Mbappé’s 13th of the season, as noted by sportschau.de.

Valencia’s hopes of mounting a comeback were effectively extinguished four minutes later when their captain, José Gayà, was shown a straight red card. described the incident as “unstrittig” (undisputed), with Gayà making a reckless, high challenge on Mbappé during a counter-attack. The dismissal left Valencia to play the final minutes in a precarious position with 10 men.

Implications for the Title Race

With this victory, Real Madrid matched Barcelona’s point total at 30, putting the two giants of Spanish football level at the summit of the table. The draw, however, is only temporary, as Barcelona held a game in hand against Atlético Madrid the following day, sportschau.de reported.

For Valencia, the defeat deepens a crisis that has seen them fail to win a single home game at Mestalla this season. As sportschau.de highlighted, the club, a Champions League finalist in 2000 and 2001, now sits 19th in the table, firmly in the relegation zone. The loss is compounded by the suspension of their captain, Gayà, for the upcoming fixtures.

What’s Next for Both Teams

Real Madrid will look to continue their remarkable form when they travel to Celta Vigo on Saturday, November 21st, as sportschau.de noted, aiming for a ninth win. Valencia, meanwhile, must quickly regroup and find a way to secure their first home win to alleviate the pressure in their fight against relegation.