Federico Valverde's Stoppage-Time Screamer Keeps Madrid in Title Hunt
So, let’s talk about one of the wildest finishes we’ve seen from Real Madrid lately — and yeah, it happened against a red-hot Athletic Club side who’ve been giving everyone trouble. Real Madrid came into this La Liga clash a bit bruised and battered, both physically and mentally. They’re out of the Champions League earlier than anyone expected and staring down the barrel of a potential trophyless season. If that wasn’t enough, Kylian Mbappe — who’s already been on a goal drought — picked up an ankle injury during that midweek defeat to Arsenal. He’s out for at least two games.
With seven league matches left, Madrid needed this one badly. They were already four points behind Barcelona before kick-off, and this match wasn’t just about catching up — it was about survival in the title race. Athletic Club, on the other hand, came in riding an eight-match unbeaten streak, sitting fourth in the table and full of confidence.
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Now, Carlo Ancelotti had to shuffle the deck. Instead of pushing Endrick or Brahim Diaz into the spotlight to cover for Mbappe, he switched up the system entirely, opting for a 4-4-2 diamond. Rodrygo and Vinicius Jr. led the line, while Dani Ceballos slotted into midfield alongside the likes of Modric and Bellingham. The defense was patchwork, with Federico Valverde even dropping in at right-back due to injuries and suspensions — and that ended up being a masterstroke.
The match itself? Not pretty. Madrid were slow, especially in the first half. Camavinga had a solid shot on goal, but Unai Simon was alert. Bellingham had his moments, too, nearly scoring off a beautiful trivela assist from Vinicius. Vini even thought he had the winner late on, but VAR ruled it out — Endrick was offside in the buildup. And just when it looked like the Bernabeu crowd would go home frustrated, up stepped Fede Valverde.
In the 93rd minute, he absolutely rocketed a volley into the top corner. Classic Valverde — clutch, powerful, and right when they needed it most. That goal didn’t just win the game 1-0; it kept Real Madrid’s title hopes alive. They remain four points behind Barca, and with a Clasico showdown on the horizon, that gap can still be closed.
This wasn’t a pretty win, and Madrid still have a lot of issues to fix — especially up front without Mbappe — but it was gritty, it was dramatic, and most importantly, it was three points. If they go on to win La Liga, we’ll all look back at this game and remember Valverde’s thunderbolt as the moment it all stayed alive.
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