Real Madrid Secures Narrow Victory Over Athletic Club

MADRID: In a captivating La Liga match on Sunday, Real Madrid triumphed over Athletic Club with a score of 1-0, sealed by a remarkable late goal from Federico Valverde.

Throughout the contest, both teams displayed dynamic and energetic gameplay, relentlessly pursuing the initial score. Real Madrid believed they had broken the deadlock in the 78th minute, but the apparent goal was disallowed due to an offside ruling following a VAR review.

As the match seemed destined for a draw, Valverde intervened three minutes into added time.

The Uruguayan midfielder unleashed a superb half-volley into the upper corner of the net with the outside of his left foot, culminating the home side’s persistent pressure in the second half.

This marked Valverde’s sixth league goal this season, his first since the match against Sevilla in December.

This victory ensures Real Madrid remains within four points of Barcelona, the league leaders, with only six games left to play.

Notably, Real Madrid played without Kylian Mbappé, the French striker, who was serving a suspension for a red card received during their previous 1-0 win against Alaves.

Barcelona also experienced late drama on Saturday, rallying from a 3-1 deficit to defeat Celta Vigo 4-3, with Raphinha converting a penalty in the 98th minute.

Carlo Ancelotti lauded Real Madrid’s resilience following their hard-fought 1-0 victory against Athletic Bilbao, which sustained their aspirations for the La Liga title.

“Valverde was crucial, as he scored the decisive goal,” Ancelotti commented to reporters. “The team performed admirably. We were slightly sluggish in the first half, but we excelled in every aspect during the second half. Our objective was to win and recover from our Champions League elimination.”

He further noted, “It was a positive match. We displayed aggression and maintained a clean sheet. We demonstrated greater solidity and improved teamwork.”

Despite a challenging week that saw the Champions League titleholders eliminated by Arsenal with a 5-1 aggregate score, Real Madrid’s recent victory keeps their hopes for the La Liga title alive.

Despite the loss, Athletic Club continues to maintain its position within the top four teams.