Real Madrid, Barca both lose as Vinicius sees red in Valencia

MADRID: Real Madrid endured another setback this week, succumbing to a 1-0 defeat away to Valencia.

Thanks to a first-half goal from young striker Diego Lopez, Valencia practically ensured their continued place in the top-flight.

Lopez struck just past the half-hour mark, capitalizing on a mishit shot from Justin Kluivert. This ultimately awarded his team all three points against a significantly changed Madrid lineup, a stark contrast from the one that suffered a 4-0 defeat to Manchester City in Wednesday’s Champions League match.

Valencia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili showcased a series of exceptional saves to clinch the victory.

However, the match will also be memorable for off-field incidents. Madrid winger Vinicius Jr was provoked into an angry reaction following a racist insult from a fan in the stands and had to be placated by both rivals and teammates.

In the 96th minute, Vinicius Jr was shown a direct red card for his involvement in an on-field altercation, during which he retaliated against Valencia striker Hugo Duro. Duro was fortunate to avoid punishment after grabbing the forward around the neck.

Real Madrid’s loss enabled Atletico Madrid to reclaim second place, following a comfortable 3-0 home win against Osasuna. Goals from Yannick Carrasco, Saul Niguez and Angel Correa facilitated their victory.

In a characteristically intense Seville derby, Sevilla and Betis played out a goalless draw. Betis concluded the match with 10 players, after Joan Miranda was dismissed in the closing minutes for a reckless challenge on Jesus Navas. Despite participating in the Europa League on Thursday, Sevilla dominated the encounter, with Betis failing to land a single shot on target.

On Saturday, Real Sociedad dampened Barca’s title celebrations, taking a significant stride towards securing fourth place in La Liga with a 2-1 victory at Camp Nou. IANS

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