Real Madrid left Mestalla with three points after a professional 2–0 win over Valencia — a match that wasn’t always pretty, but one that was ultimately decided by defensive resolve, strong midfield work, and a couple of key moments in the final third.
Los Blancos didn’t need heroics from Thibaut Courtois, but they did get a crucial breakthrough from Álvaro Carreras and a late dagger from Kylian Mbappé to seal the result.
Here are the player ratings from the victory:
A rare quiet night for Courtois. Valencia never truly tested him, and he didn’t have to make a single save, but he remained composed and steady throughout.
Had some issues defensively, getting beat by Gayà and struggling with the physicality at times. Still, he offered a lot going forward, consistently pushing into advanced positions and helping create overloads in attack.
One of Madrid’s most reliable defenders on the night. Strong coverage, excellent last-ditch tackles, and a good sense of danger. Could have been slightly cleaner on the ball in a couple of moments, but overall a very solid performance.
A shaky outing in possession. Huijsen committed some costly giveaways and errors, and he was fortunate Valencia lacked the quality to punish them. To his credit, he did come up with two big tackles in the second half.
A standout performance on both ends of the pitch. Carreras showed real fight defensively, provided energy going forward, and scored the match’s crucial opening goal. Strong two-way display.
Aurélien Tchouameni — 8
One of his better games of late. Excellent tackling presence in midfield and much improved vertical distribution, helping Madrid progress the ball cleanly through the center.
Not flawless defensively — his positioning between the lines allowed Valencia some progression — but he was sharp overall. Provided Madrid with a strong two-way presence on the right, especially with Arda Güler drifting more centrally.
Very strong defensively and disruptive in midfield, but struggled when pressed. A mixed performance: dominant without the ball, less secure under pressure.
Mostly took care of the ball well and helped control the tempo. Played several unlocking passes into the box, though his decision-making in key moments could have been better.
A quiet night. Didn’t receive many touches in dangerous areas and never quite found a way to impose himself in the box.
Scored late to ice the match, but his overall performance was below his usual standard. Heavy touches, loose passing, and limited influence for large stretches despite the goal.
Brahim Díaz / Franco Mastantuono — 6.5
Neither was heavily involved, but both provided much-needed width off the bench — something Madrid lacked earlier in the match.
Trent Alexander-Arnold — 7
A strong return in a brief cameo. Even in limited minutes, his composure on the ball and passing range stood out immediately.
Not on long enough to warrant a rating.