Things You Might Have Missed from Real Madrid’s Win Over Valencia

Madrid’s 2–0 victory at Mestalla looked serene on the scoreboard, yet beneath the surface the night crackled with controversy, youth, and a late dose of Mbappé magic.

The French star’s simmering frustration boiled over well before his stoppage-time goal. Moments after an offside flag denied him in first-half added time, Kylian Mbappé cornered the fourth official on the touchline, demanding an explanation. DAZN footage shows the forward insisting the television angle proved the decision wrong; the official promised clarity inside the tunnel. When no answer arrived, Mbappé returned from the interval to renew his protest, finally branding the officials “clowns” to team-mate Eduardo Camavinga.

While Mbappé argued, uglier scenes erupted in the stands. A lone Madrid supporter, identifiable by his white scarf, was set upon by nearby Valencia fans. The scarf was twice ripped away and hurled skyward; police intervened as another spectator leant over a railing to spit toward the visitor. The toxic mood resurfaced when play was halted for a medical emergency: large sections of the home support aimed a venomous chant of “Mbappé, son of a bitch” at the forward.

Amid the acrimony, an unheralded back line quietly stole the show. Forced by injuries to Dani Carvajal, Antonio Rüdiger, David Alaba, Ferland Mendy, Éder Militão and Fran García, the visitors fielded a defence with an average age barely above 21. Academy graduates David Jiménez (21), Raúl Asensio (22) and Álvaro Carreras (22) lined up alongside Dutch-born centre-back Dean Huijsen (20). The quartet, more accustomed to Castilla duty than La Liga pressure, restricted Valencia to scraps and preserved Thibaut Courtois’ clean sheet with composure beyond their years.

Mbappé’s late strike ultimately sealed the points, yet the evening’s sub-plots—from teenage defenders standing firm to a star striker’s tunnel tirade—will linger far longer than the straightforward scoreline suggests.