Jude Bellingham missed a penalty but scored a late winner after Vinicius Jr was sent off, as 10-man Real Madrid fought back in the most dramatic of fashions to beat, Valencia 2-1 and return to the top of La Liga on Friday.
Luka Modric's 85th-minute equalizer and Bellingham's stoppage-time winner ensured that Madrid avoided back-to-back defeats in La Liga for the first time since 2019.
The win took Los Blancos to 43 points, two above city rivals Atletico, albeit having played a game more.
The match at the Mestalla pitted second from bottom against second from top and it was the struggling home side that took the lead after 27 minutes. Hugo Duro stabbed the ball into the empty net after it came back off the post.
Madrid came into the game more in the second half but it looked like it would be a frustrating night for the capital club.
Kylian Mbappe won a penalty after 55 minutes but Bellingham spurned the opportunity with a woeful attempt from 12 yards.
Bellingham's stuttered attempt from the spot could only find the post, the casual approach coming back to bite the England midfielder as Real remained 1-0 down approaching the hour mark.
Things certainly seemed to be going against Los Blancos after Bellingham's miss as moments later France captain Mbappe himself saw a goal disallowed after a video review.
Things got worse for Real with 11 minutes remaining when Vinicius pushed goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski and the referee, after a long video review, showed the Brazilian a red card.
Vinicius was left incensed by the decision, having already protested his innocence to the referee, and had to be restrained by his team-mates.
Indeed Antonio Rudiger was seen escorting the Brazilian forward off the field with a member of the Real Madrid staff, Vinicius still shouting over his shoulder as he was dragged down the tunnel.
However, Real were never out of contention and Carlo Ancelotti's late changes turned the game around.
Modric came on in the 80th and it took the 39-year-old Croatian just five minutes to make his mark, dancing through a sea of defenders and poking home the equalizer.
Even a man down there was a sense of inevitability as Real pushed for a winner, and five minutes into added time Bellingham made up for his earlier miss.
Valencia defender Hugo Guillamon seemed to slip and lay the ball into the path of the advancing Englishman, who made no mistake with only the keeper to beat.
Even then the drama was not over. Valencia deserved to take something from the match and Luis Roja almost got an equaliser with the last kick of the game.
He watched in agony as his long-range shot came back off the post.
Valencia stayed second from the bottom as a result as their poor start to 2024-25 continues into the new year.
Luka Modric's 85th-minute equalizer and Bellingham's stoppage-time winner ensured that Madrid avoided back-to-back defeats in La Liga for the first time since 2019.
The win took Los Blancos to 43 points, two above city rivals Atletico, albeit having played a game more.
The match at the Mestalla pitted second from bottom against second from top and it was the struggling home side that took the lead after 27 minutes. Hugo Duro stabbed the ball into the empty net after it came back off the post.
Madrid came into the game more in the second half but it looked like it would be a frustrating night for the capital club.
Kylian Mbappe won a penalty after 55 minutes but Bellingham spurned the opportunity with a woeful attempt from 12 yards.
Bellingham's stuttered attempt from the spot could only find the post, the casual approach coming back to bite the England midfielder as Real remained 1-0 down approaching the hour mark.
Things certainly seemed to be going against Los Blancos after Bellingham's miss as moments later France captain Mbappe himself saw a goal disallowed after a video review.
Things got worse for Real with 11 minutes remaining when Vinicius pushed goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski and the referee, after a long video review, showed the Brazilian a red card.
Vinicius was left incensed by the decision, having already protested his innocence to the referee, and had to be restrained by his team-mates.
Indeed Antonio Rudiger was seen escorting the Brazilian forward off the field with a member of the Real Madrid staff, Vinicius still shouting over his shoulder as he was dragged down the tunnel.
However, Real were never out of contention and Carlo Ancelotti's late changes turned the game around.
Modric came on in the 80th and it took the 39-year-old Croatian just five minutes to make his mark, dancing through a sea of defenders and poking home the equalizer.
Even a man down there was a sense of inevitability as Real pushed for a winner, and five minutes into added time Bellingham made up for his earlier miss.
Valencia defender Hugo Guillamon seemed to slip and lay the ball into the path of the advancing Englishman, who made no mistake with only the keeper to beat.
Even then the drama was not over. Valencia deserved to take something from the match and Luis Roja almost got an equaliser with the last kick of the game.
He watched in agony as his long-range shot came back off the post.
Valencia stayed second from the bottom as a result as their poor start to 2024-25 continues into the new year.
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