April 05, (THEWILL) – Real Madrid lost ground in the La Liga title race after a 2-1 home defeat to Valencia, with Vinicius Junior missing a penalty for the second time in less than a month. The Spanish champions dominated possession but failed to capitalise on numerous opportunities, largely due to an exceptional performance from Valencia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili.
Barcelona, managed by Hansi Flick, now lead the standings with 66 points, three ahead of Madrid and nine clear of Atletico in third position. The Catalan club could extend their advantage to six points if they defeat Real Betis in their fixture later on Saturday, with only eight matches remaining in the season.
Valencia took the lead in the 15th minute when Mouctar Diakhaby headed home from an Andre Almeida corner. Although Vinicius equalised for Madrid in the 50th minute, atoning for his earlier penalty miss, the hosts were unable to find a winning goal despite sustained pressure throughout the second half.
The visitors delivered a devastating blow five minutes into stoppage time when Hugo Duro headed past the Madrid goalkeeper during a swift counterattack, silencing the Santiago Bernabeu crowd. Vinicius had earlier seen his weak spot-kick saved by Mamardashvili after Cesar Tarrega fouled Kylian Mbappe in the ninth minute.
The result represents a significant opportunity for Barcelona to strengthen their position at the summit of La Liga with the season entering its final phase. Madrid must now regroup quickly if they are to mount a successful defence of their domestic title in the remaining fixtures.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
