Madrid beat Valencia 3-1 as they turn to PSG in Europe

Real Madrid secured a hard-fought 3-1 win over Valencia at Alfredo Di Stéfano, in a night shaped by squad rotation and the impact of La Fábrica. With their minds on the imminent European opener against PSG, Pau Quesada’s side still managed to put the tie on track early and control the match when it mattered.

Rotation, control and goals

Quesada made changes in the XI, giving starts to younger players including Oihane San Martín and Claudia de la Cuerda, alongside Noe Llamas, while resting key options such as Eva Navarro, Levels and Linda Caicedo. The match also saw the return of Felicia Schröder after a two-game suspension, and the comeback of Athenea del Castillo following her injury.

The decisive burst came before half-time. In the 26th minute, Elisa Senss opened the scoring with a first-time left-foot strike from inside the box, according to Mundo Deportivo. Just five minutes later, Schröder doubled the lead, finishing after a measured pass and taking it to 2-0.

Athenea seals it late

The second half was more open, with chances at both ends. Schröder had an early warning in the 48th minute by hitting the post, and Valencia replied with an attempt that struck the woodwork before being ruled out for offside. Still, Valencia made it interesting when they pulled one back in the 69th minute: Marcano scored after capitalising on a poorly defended set piece.

With the game tense, the decisive moment arrived at the end. Mundo Deportivo reports that Athenea del Castillo, back after a clavicle injury, struck from the top of the area in the 95th minute to make it 3-1, sparking celebrations at Valdebebas. The win sets the stage for Madrid’s big Champions League date versus PSG.