Jude Bellingham made amends for missing a penalty by snatching 10-man Real Madrid a 2-1 victory at Valencia on Friday to take them top of La Liga after winger Vinicius Junior was sent off.
Huro Duro sent the hosts ahead in the first half of a feisty clash but Luka Modric levelled for Carlo Ancelotti’s side before Bellingham pounced in stoppage time.
Vinicius, who squared off with Valencia supporters who racially abused him at the same stadium in 2022, was dismissed for shoving Los Che goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski in the back of the neck with little over 10 minutes remaining.
Madrid were trailing at the time but Bellingham set up veteran midfielder Modric to level in the 85th minute and spark a superb comeback.
Bellingham broke in to strike in the 96th minute after a Valencia defensive error, sending Madrid two points clear of Atletico Madrid at the top of the table, having played a game more than Diego Simeone’s team.
“(Bellingham had a) great game, he didn’t dip after the missed penalty, it gave him extra motivation,” said Ancelotti.
“He made an extraordinary effort… (scoring) was a reward for him for the game he had.”
Ancelotti said he did not think Vinicius’ push deserved a red card and was surprised by his team’s poor start to the match.
“We didn’t think it was a red card… he went off and the team reacted, to the red, the missed penalty.
“It’s hard to explain how badly we did in the first half and how good we did in the second, even with 10 men.
“It’s three very important points, deserved, but we can’t show these two sides (of ourselves).”
Los Blancos’ trip to face Valencia was postponed at the end of October after devastating flooding in the region on Spain’s east coast.
Sitting 19th, Valencia appointed Carlos Corberan to replace former coach Ruben Baraja during the winter break, pinching the Spaniard from English Championship club West Bromwich Albion.
The hosts made a strong start, shackling Madrid’s star-studded attack before making the breakthrough after 27 minutes.
Dimitri Foulquier cut the ball back for Javi Guerra, whose shot was superbly saved by Thibaut Courtois but Duro turned the rebound into the empty net.
‘Thanks team’
Mbappe was kept silent in the first half but a burst of pace in behind early in the second earned Madrid a penalty, when Tarrega was adjudged to have brought him down.
Bellingham was tasked with dispatching the spot kick but jumped just before he struck the ball and skidded a low effort against the post.
Replays indicated Valencia goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski was off his line when the penalty was taken, but it was not spotted by the officials.
Mbappe, who missed two penalties for Madrid before Christmas himself, thought he had pulled Los Blancos level when he skipped around Dimitrievski and tucked home, but he was fractionally offside.
Madrid were reduced to 10 men when Vinicius shoved Dimitrievski in the back of the neck after Valencia’s goalkeeper had pushed him, after the Brazilian hit the deck under a fair challenge in the box.
Despite their numerical disadvantage Madrid pulled level when Bellingham nudged the ball through for substitute Modric, 39, to stab home.
The former Borussia Dortmund man snatched the winner when Foulquier’s poor pass put team-mate Hugo Guillamon under pressure, and Bellingham raced on to his attempted back pass to finish with aplomb.
It was his sixth goal in his last seven games across all competitions, with Bellingham once again showing the goalscoring form that helped him become an instant hit with Madrid last season.
“Sorry and thanks team,” said Vinicius on social media platform X after his colleagues spared his blushes.
Valencia’s Luis Rioja struck the post with a vicious effort from distance in the 100th minute, inches away from snatching his side a last-gasp draw.
Valencia, who have not won in La Liga since November, are four points from safety.
“I don’t care (about scoring), the important thing was the three points and we didn’t get them,” said goalscorer Duro.
“I hope I don’t score a single goal in the rest of the season and we win the rest of our games 1-0 with an own goal.”
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