Valencia vs Real Madrid HIGHLIGHTS: La Liga HIGHLIGHTS:In a game overshadowed by racial chants and a red card for Vinicius Junior, Diego Lopez scored in the first half to give Valencia a crucial victory over Real Madrid on Sunday. The victory helped Valencia pull farther away from the relegation zone. Follow La Liga LIVE Updates on InsideSport.IN.
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The Italian coach made a number of adjustments to his squad, removing players like Rodrygo Goes, Luka Modric, Toni Kroos, David Alaba, and Dani Carvajal. However, the youthful Valencia team delivered a surprise when they commemorated Mestalla’s 100th anniversary and held a game to remember there.
Due to a poor start, neither team wanted to concede anything to the other, and both blocked the majority of early opportunities. The breakthrough was made by 21-year-old Diego Lopez, who was set up by Justin Kluivert in the box after Jose Luis Gaya had surged down the left and crossed.
The teenager defeated Thibaut Courtois with what would turn out to be a key winner in only his second LaLiga Santander appearance, in a game when Ruben Baraja’s squad was under a lot of pressure. The attacker nearly scored again early in the second half when Andre Almeida set him up from a distance, but Courtois stopped his attempt from the outside of the area.
Watch Vinicius Jr being SENT OFF after heated BRAWL following RACIAL abuse
The finest chances for Real Madrid came in stoppage time when Giorgio Mamardashvili stopped both Fede Valverde and Toni Kroos from scoring after the German sent a free kick towards the top corner.
In the end, they were unable to get through, but considering the unpleasant circumstances at the conclusion, it was the least of their problems.Hugo Duro was elbowed in the face and given a red card after an incident involving Vinicius Junior, but the Brazilian picked out someone in the audience and seemed to accuse them of racism. He appeared to provoke supporters by flashing two fingers to the crowd as he left the pitch by implying that they may be demoted to Segunda.
Valencia vs Real Madrid confirmed line-ups
Valencia XI (4-2-3-1): Mamardashvili; Correia, Cumart, Ozkacar, Gaya; Gonzalez, Guerra; Lopez, Almeida, Kluivert; Cavani
Real Madrid XI (4-3-3): Courtois; Vazquez, Militao, Rudiger, Mendy; Ceballos, Tchouameni, Camavinga; Asensio, Benzema, Vinicius Jr.
