Valencia's Soler bags penalty hat-trick to sink Real Madrid 4-1

Defeat is one of the worst of Zinedine Zidane's reign

Carlos Soler of Valencia celebrates with teammate Uroc Racic after scoring his team's fourth goal during the La Liga Santander match between Valencia CF and Real Madrid at Estadio Mestalla on NovemberShow more

Real Madrid suffered an extraordinary 4-1 defeat at Valencia on Sunday as Carlos Soler scored a hat-trick of penalties to raise further doubts over La Liga's reigning champions.

Madrid took the lead through Karim Benzema but presented Valencia with four gifts at Mestalla, including three spot kicks and an own-goal by Raphael Varane, for another surprise defeat.

Soler saw his spot-kick saved by Thibaut Courtois and then hit the post on the rebound, while teammate Yunus Musah netted the loose ball, but his goal was ruled out after a VAR review showed him encroaching in the area.

A retake was ordered and Soler scored on second attempt.

Valencia took the lead before half-time through a freak own goal from Varane, who unwittingly sent the ball flying over his head and just over the line.

The goal was awarded several minutes later after another VAR review.

Valencia's teenage forward Lee Kang-in almost struck a third early in the second period but Courtois turned his shot on to the post.

The home side kept up the momentum, though, and won two more penalties, for a foul by Marcelo on Maxi Gomez then a handball by Sergio Ramos.

Soler converted each time, becoming only the third player in the history of La Liga to score three penalties in a match.

The defeat marked one of the worst of Zinedine Zidane's reign, joining a 0-3 loss against Barcelona in 2007 and a defeat by the same margin against PSG.