Real Madrid closes the month in which it became a team in Valencia

The Real Madrid of the discreet seasons (the last two) used to skate in games like the one at Mestalla: the last of a series played before a national team break and wrapped in the perfect excuse, the scant rest. Titles and credibility went through that black hole. But Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid is beginning to turn victory into a habit, and against a Valencia that continues to plummet, it sealed one of those matches to be repeated from time to time due to its collective strength, resolved with a cannonball from Valverde and with the genius of Arda Güler, author of the 0-2 and assistant to Mbappé in the 0-3.

Valencia had too much will and no head, mortgaged to the long ball to Sadiq, who was inferior against Huijsen and Konaté, and to the uncontrolled adrenaline of Pablo Maffeo, who was once again a spark against Madrid, this time with Cucurella and not with Vinícius. Curiously, a push from behind on Mbappé on the edge of the area helped Madrid take the lead. The Frenchman's shot crashed into the barrier and the rebound reached Valverde. The Uruguayan, who already gave Madrid the victory in Athens on Wednesday, positioned the ball to his right and positioned his body with the appropriate plasticity to hit violently and crosswise. Raso, far from Dimitreivski (0-1).

Before the goal, Courtois had intervened with a save from Mayol's shot after a turnover by Tchouaméni. It was an accident, because Bernardo Silva, Güler and especially Bellingham were dancing on the Mestalla green.

With a line of five, Valencia could not change the script. And it was 0-2 after a combination between the new white trident. Unhappy Vinícius at the beginning of the season, Mbappé, Bellingham and Diomande combined for the Englishman's center to score a goal for Güler (0-2). Madrid was serious even in those moments of tension, with a more formal but equally assertive Mourinho on the wing.

The break did not change the decor. Mbappé had already given three warnings when he received a ball behind the back of the last defender. The signature was Güler's. He took advantage of his speed to dribble past Dimitrievski and score his thirteenth goal in this League with his right foot.

Valencia's drift was evident with the expulsion of its captain Gayà with a straight red card for stopping a solo gallop by the French international. Courtois completed his statistic with a clearance to Danjuma, and Madrid was able to relax but without losing control of the game until the end.

The white team closes with eight victories in eight games (including the classic) between breaks, in a magical month. Beyond the numbers, Mourinho's team is convinced by the how. If the goal was to be a team, they already seem like it, and they are on their way to being one in capital letters.