Fede Valverde saved Real Madrid's La Liga title hopes with a 92nd minute winner against Athletic Bilbao.
After crashing out of the Champions League on Wednesday, Real Madrid returned to La Liga action with a point to prove, especially without the suspended Kylian Mbappé. Like so many times this season, though, Los Blancos struggled to get going. Despite dominating possession in the first half, Carlo Ancelotti's men lacked creativity in the final third and went down the tunnel with just one shot on target.
Real Madrid came out firing in the second half and quickly pinned Ernesto Valverde's squad in their own half. Still, nothing the hosts tried was dangerous enough to beat Unai Simón. Ancelotti even brought Endrick on in the 58th minute to give his attack a spark, but Los Blancos could not capitalize on any of the chances created by Vinícius Júnior. The Brazilian thought he finally found the breakthrough in the 79th minute, but his goal was wiped away for offsides in the build-up.
Just when it looked like Real Madrid were destined for a goalless draw, Valverde sent a brilliant volley into the back of the net in stoppage time. The winner secured all three points for Real Madrid, giving the defending Spanish and European champions a much-needed victory with just six games left in the La Liga season.
Their victory against Athletic Bilbao will relieve some pressure on Ancelotti amid speculation that the Italian manager could be out of a job at the end of the season. Still, Real Madrid remain four points behind Barcelona atop the table.
Check out the player ratings from Real Madrid's victory below.
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Real Madrid Player Ratings vs. Athletic Bilbao (4-3-1-2)
Ratings provided by FotMob
Player of the Match: Fede Valverde (Real Madrid)
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Real Madrid 1–0 Athletic Bilbao: Player Ratings As Fede Valverde Rescues Three Points for Los Blancos.
