Valencia 0-3 Real Madrid: Valverde, Guler and Mbappe Haul Madrid Level With Barcelona
An eighth straight win in all competitions — sealed by goals from Federico Valverde, Arda Guler and Kylian Mbappe at Mestalla — pulls Real Madrid level on points with Barcelona at the top of La Liga.
The La Liga title race is a dead heat again. Real Madrid dismantled Valencia 3-0 at Mestalla on Friday night to move level on 33 points with leaders Barcelona, who visit Atletico Madrid on Sunday with the pressure now squarely back on them.
Two first-half blows
Madrid took control before the break with two goals in eight minutes. Federico Valverde opened the scoring in the 28th minute, lashing a low strike into the bottom corner after Kylian Mbappe's blocked free kick fell his way. In the 36th, Arda Guler swept in a first-time finish from a Jude Bellingham delivery that deflected into his path. Valencia had briefly thought they were ahead — Guido Rodriguez's early goal was ruled out for offside — and Thibaut Courtois had to deny Aaron Mayol, but once Madrid led, the outcome rarely looked in doubt, per Al Jazeera.
Mbappe's relentless autumn
The third goal was all Mbappe: played in by Guler, he rounded keeper Stole Dimitrievski and rolled into the empty net in the 75th minute, according to ESPN's report — his 13th league goal of the season. Valencia's night then unravelled completely when Jose Gaya was sent off late on for a sliding challenge on Mbappe. Mbappe has now scored in seven consecutive matches, with 17 goals in 16 games in all competitions. All this without Vinicius Junior, who sat out the last game of a four-match ban.
What it means
For Jose Mourinho's Madrid, it is eight straight wins in all competitions and a statement of sustained form rather than a hot streak. For Javier Aguirre's Valencia, the table makes grim reading: second from bottom on 9 points, with the attacking output to match. Barcelona now know the margin for error at Atletico on Sunday is zero.