Real Madrid`s La Liga campaign faced a setback as Valencia clinched a dramatic 2-1 victory at the Santiago Bernabeu with a 95th-minute goal from Hugo Duro. This win marks Valencia`s first at this stadium in 17 years. Despite Real Madrid potentially having one eye on their upcoming Champions League match against Arsenal, limited player rotation due to injuries saw them enter the game just three points ahead of Barcelona in La Liga. A notable moment was the debut of 19-year-old goalkeeper Fran Gonzalez, stepping in due to injuries to the more senior goalkeepers, highlighting concerns about Real Madrid`s squad depth at this crucial point in the season.
Barcelona had the opportunity to capitalize on Real Madrid`s dropped points but only managed a draw against Real Betis. While this result moved Hansi Flick`s team four points clear at the top of the league, it felt like a missed chance to significantly increase their lead. After Gavi`s early goal put Barcelona ahead, Betis quickly responded to equalize just ten minutes later through Natan. With a Champions League clash against Borussia Dortmund approaching, securing a point is still valuable for Barcelona, but any further slip-ups could be costly, especially with the looming El Clasico in May potentially deciding the league title.
Real Madrid Underperforms
Shortly after Valencia`s goalkeeper, Giorgi Mamardashvili, who is set to join Liverpool, saved a penalty from Vinicius Junior, Valencia took the lead with a goal from Mouctar Diakhaby. Real Madrid then had a Diakhaby own goal disallowed for offside later in the first half. However, given Real Madrid`s history of comebacks, the expectation was that they would eventually overcome the deficit and secure a win, with the only question being when their goals would come.
Vini Jr. seemed to reinforce this belief by scoring early in the second half, equalizing for Real Madrid. Despite intense pressure and numerous attempts, Real Madrid couldn`t find a way past Mamardashvili again. The Georgian goalkeeper was outstanding, making eight saves against an expected goals on target of 3.28. Real Madrid`s efforts weren`t lacking, but the ball simply wouldn`t go in. Valencia, against the run of play, struck again deep into added time to secure a victory that could be transformative for their season. Now seven points clear of the relegation zone, Carlos Corberan is on track to achieve a great escape and ensure this historic club remains in the top division.
Penalty Concerns Continue for Madrid
Following Kylian Mbappe`s successful penalty in Real Madrid`s comeback win against Leganes, it appeared their penalty issues were resolving. However, Vini Jr.`s missed penalty in the Valencia game brought these concerns back to the forefront. With Real Madrid`s defensive vulnerabilities, they cannot afford to concede easy goals, and given Mbappe`s penalty success rate, Carlo Ancelotti might consider making him the designated penalty taker moving forward. Such errors must be avoided in the Champions League as the stakes increase further into the season.
Building Towards El Clasico
Barcelona and Real Madrid are already set to compete for a title in the Copa del Rey final on April 26, but the El Clasico league match on May 11 is marked as a crucial date for everyone. Currently, the pressure is on Barcelona leading up to that match. If the current gap remains, a Real Madrid victory in El Clasico would bring them within just one point of Barcelona. This is why Barcelona`s draw against Betis feels like a significant opportunity lost.
