Real Madrid Reduce Deficit to Barcelona After Hard-Fought Victory Over Valencia

Goals from Alvaro Carreras and Kylian Mbappe secured a hard-earned 2-0 victory for Real Madrid against Valencia on Sunday, bringing them within one point of La Liga frontrunners Barcelona.

Following Barcelona's success against Mallorca the previous day, Alvaro Arbeloa's team ground out a narrow success at Mestalla to maintain the heat on their fierce competitors.

Without the banned striker Vinicius Junior and sidelined playmaker Jude Bellingham, the visitors showed little flair yet managed to secure the vital points along Spain's eastern seaboard.

English defender Trent Alexander-Arnold marked his comeback from injury with a second-half substitute role during Real Madrid's triumph.

Arbeloa's players dominated the opening period's opportunities yet struggled to pose a sustained threat in what proved a tough scrap.

Arda Guler saw his attempt ricochet just past the upright, and Valencia custodian Stole Dimitrievski blocked Mbappe's powerful shot using his feet.

Real Madrid's academy product David Jimenez, playing at right-back, nearly opened the scoring after a setup from the French ace Mbappe, only for the Macedonian shot-stopper to thwart him as well.

Deep into the second half, Carreras produced an inventive strike from nowhere to put Madrid ahead.

Cutting in from the left edge of the penalty area, the full-back elegantly placed the ball with his less dominant right boot beyond Dimitrievski's reach at the near upright.

Valencia came close to an equaliser when Lucas Beltran's acrobatic bid evaded Thibaut Courtois and struck the woodwork.

Arbeloa introduced Alexander-Arnold for his initial outing since a thigh problem in early December, aiming to steady Madrid as they aimed to wrap up the result.

The points were confirmed in added time when Brahim Diaz assisted the league's leading marksman Mbappe, who slotted home with composure for his 23rd strike of the campaign.

Supporters of Valencia, including those who displayed white handkerchiefs in demonstration against the team's plight, left the stadium with Los Che sitting 17th in the table, just a single point clear of relegation trouble.