Real Madrid made their supporters nervous again, but they left them with jubilation after scoring two late goals for a come-from-behind win at the Mestalla. Los Blancos had won just once in the past seven seasons at this venue, so getting the full three points and moving into sole possession of first place was huge.
Here are the player ratings from Real Madrid’s 2-1 win over Valencia, which featured a goal and an assist each from star men Karim Benzema and Vinicius Junior.
GK Thibaut Courtois
Thibaut Courtois didn’t have to make as many saves as he did against Inter Milan, but he still made one stop from point-blank range in which he also expertly diverted the ball well and truly to safety. The Belgian showed a very safe pair of hands when claiming crosses, particularly during stoppage time.
Rating: 7.5
RB Lucas Vazquez
Lucas Vazquez entered the pitch within the first 30 minutes for an injured Dani Carvajal and was promptly a disaster defensively. He looked clueless defensively, so it was no surprise to Madridistas when he comically “assisted” Hugo Duro with an errant header. He worked hard, as usual, but, my goodness, his defending is a major liability at times.
Rating: 4.5