Bellingham’s brilliance and Modrić’s greatness: Real Madrid player ratings vs Valencia by Dailysports

Real Madrid likely anticipated a match against the struggling Valencia team languishing at the bottom of the table. However, less than two weeks ago, the Bats appointed Carlos Corberán as head coach, injecting new energy into the squad. As a result, Los Blancos found themselves up against a Valencia determined to climb the standings. Real Madrid only managed to take full control in the final 20 minutes (ironically, after Vinícius Jr.’s red card), when Valencia's players ran out of steam and could no longer keep up with the pace.

• Heartwarming! Jude Bellingham brings young Real Madrid fan to tears of joy

Standout players of the match

Jude Bellingham

1. Defensive dominance: Jude won an impressive 13 of 20 duels, more than anyone else from either team. He also led Real Madrid in defensive actions, frequently disrupting Valencia’s attempts to transition past midfield.
2. Two assists: Both of Bellingham’s assists came in identical fashion—one to Modrić and the other to Mbappé, whose goal was unfortunately disallowed for a marginal offside.
3. Goal redemption: After missing a penalty in the 55th minute, Jude redeemed himself by scoring later in the match. A true testament to his resilience.

Dani Ceballos and Federico Valverde

This duo effectively neutralized Valencia in midfield. Even when Valencia managed to bypass Bellingham, Dani and Federico quickly pressed and recovered possession, limiting Valencia’s opportunities near Courtois’ goal.

• Valverde: Took four shots on goal and made significant contributions to the attack. Notably, he forced the defensive error that led to Bellingham’s decisive goal.
• Ceballos: Delivered three key passes, including a brilliant assist to Valverde. His creativity helped keep Valencia under pressure throughout the match.

Aurélien Tchouaméni

Playing as a makeshift center-back due to injuries, Tchouaméni showed his versatility. His defensive instincts as a natural midfielder often saw him pushing higher up the field, contributing to the attack by delivering crosses, challenging for loose balls, and maintaining pressure in the final third.

Worth mentioning

• Vinícius Jr.: Despite his undeniable talent, he remains one of football’s most polarizing figures. Today, he struck Valencia goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski on the head. While the contact wasn’t severe, Dimitrievski exaggerated the impact, but such behavior from a top-club player remains unacceptable. The red card was justified and almost expected from Vinícius, who rarely avoids controversy.
• Luka Modrić: No commentary is necessary—just a reminder that this maestro is 39 years old.

Player ratings

• Asensio: Not enough time to assess
• Bellingham: 9
• Valverde: 8
• Vázquez: 6
• Vinícius Jr.: 6
• Brahim Díaz: 6
• Camavinga: 7
• Courtois: 7
• Mendy: 7
• Mbappé: 7
• Modrić: 7
• Rodrygo: 7
• Rüdiger: 7
• Ceballos: 8
• Tchouaméni: 8