Real Madrid’s 3-0 win at Mestalla on Saturday is being overshadowed by what reportedly happened in the players’ tunnel at half-time.
Spanish newspaper MARCA, cited by Morocco World News, reports that Jude Bellingham grabbed Valencia sporting director Braulio Vázquez by the jacket and pulled him away from the referee’s assistant. Antonio Rüdiger is said to have struck a Valencia security officer during the ensuing altercation, with National Police eventually separating those involved. Ibrahima Konaté tried to calm things down.
Referee Francisco José Hernández Maeso’s official report did not document any physical altercation involving Real Madrid players. It records only Vázquez’s protests at the buildup to the opening goal.
“It’s not a foul! It’s not a foul! Unbelievable!”
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No disciplinary action against the Real Madrid players has been confirmed.
The Ballon d’Or jibe that lit the fuse
The tunnel flashpoint followed a pitchside exchange earlier in the half. Valencia defender Pablo Maffeo and midfielder Pepelu taunted Bellingham over the Ballon d’Or. Bellingham’s reply was quoted by Goal.
“The Ballon d’Or? I don’t care about the Ballon d’Or, are you the ones who give it out?”
The 2026 Ballon d’Or was won on 26 October by Harry Kane, with Kylian Mbappé second and Lamine Yamal third. Bellingham was not in the top three.
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Mourinho’s Madrid make it eight in a row
The confrontation did little to disturb the result. Federico Valverde opened the scoring in the first half, Arda Güler doubled the lead before the break, and Kylian Mbappé sealed it after the interval. Yahoo Sports frames it as José Mourinho’s eighth consecutive victory in all competitions, a run Real Madrid have not put together since 2022.
Real Madrid’s next league fixture is a home game at the Santiago Bernabéu after the current international break.
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