Majestic at the Bernabéu, Real Madrid showcased their strength and defeated Valencia on Sunday, November 1, confirming their favoritism with a performance full of control and authority. The 4-0 scoreline (goals by Mbappé 2x, Bellingham, and Carreras) reflected Madrid’s superiority from start to finish: dominant possession, high pressing, and minimal gaps for the opponent. For those watching, it felt like there was only one team on the pitch.
Xabi Alonso’s side kept a firm pace, extending their lead at the top of La Liga, demonstrating collective maturity and individual brilliance. Valencia, on the other hand, rarely threatened and saw Real strengthen their historical edge in head-to-head clashes. At the Bernabéu, once again, logic prevailed: the White Giant imposed the weight of their shirt.
The star of the night was, once more, Kylian Mbappé. Before kickoff, the French forward was honored on the pitch, receiving the Golden Boot and being named LaLiga’s Player of the Month for October. He lived up to the accolades, scoring twice in the victory over Valencia and remaining the league’s top scorer. Decisive and lethal, Mbappé led Madrid’s attack with the authority of a player who takes center stage season after season.
Even before the five-minute mark, Mbappé received a first-time pass from Güler. He cut into the box and struck hard, but a defender deflected it for a corner. From the corner, Valencia’s defender headed poorly outside the area, and Valverde fired a shot from the edge of the box, narrowly missing the post.
The hosts started brilliantly. Within 10 minutes, Real dominated the game. Alonso’s team imposed themselves, exchanging passes in midfield with ease. Vini Jr. and Mbappé managed to escape the marking and received the ball in good conditions despite limited space.
Madrid’s attack remained active throughout the first half, attacking from both flanks, with Vini Jr. on the left and Valverde on the right. At 15 minutes, after a corner from the left, referee Mateo Busquets Ferrer checked VAR and awarded a penalty. Mbappé calmly converted, putting Real ahead.
Before the French forward’s goal, Valencia’s goalkeeper Agirrezabala was the standout, making at least three impressive saves. Yet, Carlos Corberán’s side struggled to string passes together or even cross midfield.
The second goal came at 31 minutes, again from Madrid’s favorite, Mbappé. Perfectly linked with Arda Güler, he received a precise cross from the captain and finished first-time with his left foot. Ten minutes later, Álvaro Carreras had a chance to score but was fouled in the box by Thierry Correia. Vini Jr. took the penalty but sent it straight to the goalkeeper—repeating a miss from the previous season against Valencia.
Immediately after, Bellingham extended the lead with a stunning strike. Cutting inside from the left, he dribbled past a defender and curled a shot from outside the area into the far corner, making it 3-0 at halftime.
In the second half, Real continued circulating the ball in attack and pressing Valencia, though the intensity dropped. Xabi Alonso made substitutions with the Liverpool match in mind: Camavinga and Ceballos replaced Tchouaméni and Güler.
Valencia’s first real chance came at 17 minutes of the second half. Substitute André Almeida shot from outside the box, but Courtois saved. And even with a slower pace, Madrid fans were treated to another goal of the night from Carreras. The left-back capitalized on a loose ball from Rodrygo and blasted a stunning shot into the top corner.
With the 4-0 win over Valencia, Real Madrid further solidified their La Liga lead. With 30 points, seven ahead of second-place Villarreal, Alonso’s side now focuses on their Champions League clash against Liverpool on Wednesday.
