Valencia Stun Real Madrid with Late Winner in LaLiga Thriller

Valencia secured a stunning 2-1 victory over Real Madrid in LaLiga, with Hugo Duro scoring a dramatic late winner to dent the hosts' title hopes.

Valencia stunned defending LaLiga champions Real Madrid at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, with Hugo Duro scoring a dramatic 95th-minute winner to seal a 2-1 victory. This shocking upset ended Valencia's worst-ever winless run in league meetings at the Bernabeu and propelled them seven points clear of the relegation zone.

The match began with significant attention focused on 19-year-old Real Madrid debutant Fran Gonzalez in goal. However, Gonzalez's nerves were immediately tested when he rushed to prevent an unconvincing Lucas Vazquez backpass from going out of play. Later, Valencia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili made a crucial save when he denied Vinicius Junior's penalty attempt with his legs, after Kylian Mbappe had gone down under pressure from Cesar Tarrega.

Just two minutes after the penalty save, Valencia took a shock lead through Mouctar Diakhaby's powerful header. Diakhaby met Andre Almeida's corner with precision, leaving Fran Gonzalez helpless in the Real Madrid goal. This unexpected turn of events set the stage for a thrilling contest, which ultimately ended in Valencia's favor thanks to Duro's late winner.

Following the opening goal, Valencia's Andre Almeida and Mouctar Diakhaby were involved in a mix-up that nearly resulted in a disastrous own goal for Diakhaby. However, the center-back's mistake was pardoned due to Kylian Mbappe being offside, sparing his blushes.

Real Madrid's frustration was almost compounded when Cesar Tarrega's header from a corner narrowly missed the target. Despite this, the hosts continued to patiently build attacks against a resilient Valencia defense. Mbappe was relentless in his pursuit of an equalizer, unleashing a series of attempts that either went wide, were tipped over, or hit the woodwork, keeping Valencia's goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili on high alert.

The effect on the TOP 6 after that late Valencia C.F winner! 👀 pic.twitter.com/qayjo1ZS3Z

— LALIGA English (@LaLigaEN) April 5, 2025

Jude Bellingham came close to scoring for Real Madrid before the halftime break, but the hosts finally found their equalizer just five minutes into the second half. Bellingham expertly flicked Luka Modric's corner to the back post, where Vinicius Junior turned it into the roof of the net, leveling the score and setting the stage for a thrilling conclusion to the match.

The pressure continued to mount on Valencia as Real Madrid pushed for a winner. Mouctar Diakhaby blocked a shot from Rodrygo, who then headed wide shortly after, keeping the visitors on edge. Despite this, Valencia still managed to create scoring opportunities, with Fran Gonzalez forced to make a save when Cesar Tarrega's header deflected off Diakhaby.

Valencia's defense remained under siege, with Giorgi Mamardashvili producing a crucial save to deny Federico Valverde. Jesus Vazquez then made a brilliant clearance ahead of Lucas Vazquez, highlighting the visitors' resilience. As the match hung in the balance, both teams created half-chances, with Endrick and Rafa Mir having attempts blocked at either end.

FT #RealMadridValencia 1-2

🦇 Hosts' dented by spirited late @valenciacf_en winner!#LALIGAEASPORTS pic.twitter.com/Fn1EBgIZ6u

— LALIGA English (@LaLigaEN) April 5, 2025

In a stunning turn of events, Rafa Mir delivered a pinpoint cross for Hugo Duro to head home a dramatic winner, sending Valencia into raptures. Mamardashvili then rushed out to thwart Antonio Rudiger, ensuring Valencia secured the points and extended their unbeaten run to five games, their longest streak since October 2022. This hard-fought victory propelled Valencia seven points clear of the relegation zone, while dealing a significant blow to Real Madrid's title hopes.