Federico Valverde, Arda Güler and Kylian Mbappé scored as Real Madrid beat Valencia 3-0 at Mestalla on Saturday to draw level on points with LaLiga leaders Barcelona, while Valencia captain José Gayà was sent off late on.
José Mourinho's side led 2-0 at half-time and Mbappé added the third in the 75th minute from Güler's pass. The result is Madrid's eighth straight win in LaLiga and the Champions League, according to the club, and they go into the international break on 30 points.
Match facts
- Result: Valencia 0-3 Real Madrid (half-time 0-2)
- Competition: LaLiga EA Sports, Matchday 12
- Venue: Mestalla, Valencia
- Scorers: Real Madrid - Valverde 28', Arda Güler 36', Mbappé 75'
- Assist: Arda Güler (75')
- Red card: Gayà (Valencia) 79', straight red
- Referee: Francisco José Hernández Maeso
- Possession: Valencia 31.7%, Real Madrid 68.3%
- Shots: Valencia 4 (2 on target), Real Madrid 19 (11 on target)
- Next: Rayo Vallecano v Valencia and Real Madrid v Celta, both Saturday 21 November
How the match unfolded
Madrid had most of the ball from the start, but the first real chance fell to Valencia. Aarón Mayol shot from outside the box and Thibaut Courtois had to dive to keep it out.
The opener came from a set piece in the 28th minute. Mbappé's free-kick hit the Valencia wall, the rebound dropped for Valverde, and the captain drove a low shot from the edge of the area into the bottom corner. It came three days after his stoppage-time winner against AEK Athens in the Champions League.
Eight minutes later it was 2-0. Jude Bellingham got to the left byline and pulled the ball back, and Güler finished from close range. Güler almost added another before the break, but Stole Dimitrievski dived to save his powerful shot from outside the box in the 43rd minute.
Dimitrievski kept Valencia in the game early in the second half. He won one-on-ones against Mbappé and Güler, and kept out another Mbappé effort from the edge of the area, as Madrid created chance after chance. Valencia coach Javier Aguirre was booked on the hour, according to LaLiga's official match centre.
The third goal arrived in the 75th minute. Güler controlled the ball, turned and slipped Mbappé through, and the France captain went around Dimitrievski before rolling the ball into an empty net. Club figures show it was the seventh game in a row in which he has scored.
Four minutes later Valencia were down to ten. Mbappé was clean through again when Gayà came across and brought him down, and referee Francisco José Hernández Maeso showed the Valencia captain a straight red card. Mbappé and Valencia's Luis Rioja and Pepelu were all booked in the minutes that followed, and Madrid saw out the game comfortably.
Dimitrievski finished with eight saves, according to LaLiga's official statistics. Madrid had 19 shots to Valencia's four.
What the result means
Madrid have 30 points from 12 games, the same as Barcelona, who have played a game fewer and visit Atlético Madrid, who have 28 points, on Sunday. Madrid will therefore be no more than a point off the top whatever happens in that game.
Valencia stay on nine points from 12 matches, with only two league wins so far and seven defeats. Earlier this season they drew 2-2 at Racing Santander.
What happens next?
Saturday's win was Madrid's second straight 3-0 away league victory after Racing Santander 0-3 Real Madrid last weekend. After the international break, Valencia visit Rayo Vallecano on Saturday 21 November (15:15 UK) and Madrid host Celta Vigo the same evening (20:00 UK). More from the round is in our La Liga section.
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