Real Madrid beat 10-man Valencia to cut Barcelona’s lead in La Liga to five points.
Los Blancos took the lead in the 52nd minute through a brilliant left-footed strike from Marco Asensio.
Brazilian forward Vinicius Junior celebrated his 200th Real appearance with his side’s second goal two minutes later.
Gabriel Paulista was shown a straight red card for the visitors in the 72nd minute for a kick-out on Vinicius.
Antonio Rudiger thought he had opened the scoring for the hosts in first-half stoppage time when he headed home Luka Modric’s cross.
However, the goal was disallowed after the video assistant referee intervened for Karim Benzema’s foul on Younes Musa in the box.
France forward Benzema, 35, was substituted on the hour mark and limped off the pitch clutching the back of his thigh.
Real travel to Liverpool for the first leg of their Champions League last 16 tie on February 21, but manager Carlo Ancelotti said Benzema’s injury was “very light”.
Ancelotti told JEE News: “That’s what happens when you play every three days and there’s no time to recover.”
