Real Madrid returned to winning ways in LaLiga after defeating struggling Valencia 2-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu on Thursday night.
LaLiga
Result: Real Madrid 2-0 Valencia
Date: 02 February 2023
Venue: Santiago Bernabeu
Carlo Ancelotti named an unchanged side from the disappointing draw with Real Sociedad, while Aurelien Tchouameni was back in the matchday squad after recovering from injury.
Los Blancos enjoyed most of the possession in the early stages of the first half, but the clear-cut chances were hard to come by in the opening 15 minutes.
Karim Benzema was presented with the first opening on 23 minutes after getting on the end of a set-piece, but the Frenchman sent his effort wide of the mark.
Ancelotti was forced to make a change ten minutes before the halftime break, as Eder Militao was forced off with an injury and replaced by Dani Carvajal.
The hosts got the breakthrough on the stroke of halftime, as Luka Modric's impressive cross was nodded home by Antonio Ruidger, but celebrations were cut short after the Video Assistant Referee spotted a foul in the build-up.
Los Blancos came out firing in the second half and opened the scoring seven minutes after break when Benzema turned provider to pick out Marco Asensio who found the top corner with a superb strike.
The lead was doubled two minutes later as Vinicius embarked on a solo run before firing past goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili for his seventh league goal of the season.
With Real comfortably leading, Ancelotti made a triple change for the final 25 minutes as Benzema, Toni Kroos and Modric made way for Federico Valverde and Tchouaméni.
Valencia's evening worsened in the 72nd minute when defender Gabriel Paulista was given a straight red card for a dangerous tackle on Vinicius.
Los Blancos were able to see out the rets of the game with relative ease, although they were unable to add another goal as the encounter finished 2-0 in the Spanish capital.
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