Valverde scores late in Real Madrid's 1-0 win as suspended Mbappé is jeered by some fans

MADRID (AP) — Still upset at their team's midweek exit from the Champions League, Real Madrid fans jeered suspended Kylian Mbappé and then cheered Federico Valverde after he scored late in a 1-0 win over Athletic Bilbao in the Spanish league on Sunday.

The narrow victory for second-placed Madrid kept some pressure on leader Barcelona.

Mbappé, serving a red-card suspension, was jeered by many fans at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium four days after he had already been booed in Madrid's 2-1 second-leg loss to Arsenal in the quarterfinals of the Champions League. The Spanish powerhouse was eliminated 5-1 on aggregate from a competition it has won a record 15 times.

“We did well today,” Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said. “We wanted to win again and rebound from the elimination. The team came through and Fede was key. This victory gives us a boost."

Valverde scored with a well-placed shot into the top corner from the right edge of the penalty area three minutes into second-half stoppage time.

The Bernabeu was mostly behind the team on Sunday, but some fans jeered when Mbappé was shown in the stadium on the large video screens.

Vinícius Júnior, who also struggled on Wednesday but impressed on Sunday, had a goal disallowed around the 80th because of an offside by Endrick in the buildup. Vinícius reached 200 wins with Madrid.

Jude Bellingham, playing in a false-nine position in attack, also performed well for Madrid, which faces Barcelona in the Copa del Rey final on Saturday in Seville.

“He played well in that position,” Ancelotti said. “We have done well with the formation in the past.”

Defender Antonio Rüdiger played his 150th game with Madrid.

The victory moved Madrid back within four points of Barcelona, which rallied to defeat Celta Vigo 4-3 on Saturday. Third-placed Atletico Madrid stayed 10 points off the lead after losing 1-0 at Las Palmas on Saturday. Fourth-placed Athletic is six points behind Atletico.

“The goal didn’t want to come until Valverde once again came up with a wonder goal, like he does best,” Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois said. ”This was a very important win, we want to keep fighting. Barça won yesterday and it was our turn to win."

Fifth-placed Villarreal, five points behind Athletic with a game in hand, was held to a 2-2 draw with midtable Real Sociedad.

Athletic, which had only one attempt on target at the Bernabeu, was coming off two victories in a row in all competitions.

Among those in attendance at the Bernabeu were tennis player Novak Djokovic and gymnast Simone Biles, who were in Madrid for the Laureus Awards.

Midtable Osasuna won 3-2 at last-placed Valladolid, which has lost 12 of its last 13 matches. Osasuna has won two in a row after nine matches without a win across all tournaments.

Sevilla, sitting in 15th place, drew 1-1 at home against 18th-placed Alaves.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior, right, is challenged by Athletic Bilbao's Benat Prados during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Sunday, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior, front, and Athletic Bilbao's Andoni Gorosabel vie for the ball during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Sunday, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham reacts during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Sunday, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham, top second from right, heads the ball on shot during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Sunday, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Athletic Bilbao's Unai Nunez reacts at the end of the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Sunday, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham, front, reacts after missing a chance to score during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Sunday, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham (5) and Athletic Bilbao's Aitor Paredes fight for the ball during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Sunday, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's Federico Valverde, left, is congratulated after scoring his side's first goal by Vinicius Junior during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Sunday, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's Federico Valverde celebrates scoring his side's opening goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Sunday, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's Federico Valverde celebrates scoring his side's first goal next to Vinicius Junior during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Sunday, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — Richard “Dick” Codey, a former acting governor of New Jersey and the longest serving legislator in the state's history, died Sunday. He was 79.

Codey’s wife, Mary Jo Codey, confirmed her husband’s death to The Associated Press.

“Gov. Richard J. Codey passed away peacefully this morning at home, surrounded by family, after a brief illness,” Codey's family wrote in a Facebook post on Codey's official page.

"Our family has lost a beloved husband, father and grandfather -- and New Jersey lost a remarkable public servant who touched the lives of all who knew him," the family said.

Known for his feisty, regular-guy persona, Codey was a staunch advocate of mental health awareness and care issues. The Democrat also championed legislation to ban smoking from indoor areas and sought more money for stem cell research.

Codey, the son of a northern New Jersey funeral home owner, entered the state Assembly in 1974 and served there until he was elected to the state Senate in 1982. He served as Senate president from 2002 to 2010.

Codey first served as acting governor for a brief time in 2002, after Christine Todd Whitman’s resignation to join President George W. Bush’s administration. He held the post again for 14 months after Gov. Jim McGreevey resigned in 2004.

At that time, New Jersey law mandated that the Senate president assume the governor’s role if a vacancy occurred, and that person would serve until the next election.

Codey routinely drew strong praise from residents in polls, and he gave serious consideration to seeking the Democratic nomination for governor in 2005. But he ultimately chose not to run when party leaders opted to back wealthy Wall Street executive Jon Corzine, who went on to win the office.

Codey would again become acting governor after Corzine was incapacitated in April 2007 due to serious injuries he suffered in a car accident. He held the post for nearly a month before Corzine resumed his duties.

After leaving the governor’s office, Codey returned to the Senate and also published a memoir that detailed his decades of public service, along with stories about his personal and family life.

“He lived his life with humility, compassion and a deep sense of responsibility to others,” his family wrote. “He made friends as easily with Presidents as he did with strangers in all-night diners.”

Codey and his wife often spoke candidly about her past struggles with postpartum depression, and that led to controversy in early 2005, when a talk radio host jokingly criticized Mary Jo and her mental health on the air.

Codey, who was at the radio station for something else, confronted the host and said he told him that he wished he could “take him outside.” But the host claimed Codey actually threatened to “take him out,” which Codey denied.

His wife told The Associated Press that Codey was willing to support her speaking out about postpartum depression, even if it cost him elected office.

“He was a really, really good guy,” Mary Jo Codey said. “He said, ‘If you want to do it, I don’t care if I get elected again.’”

Jack Brook contributed reporting from New Orleans.

FILE - New Jersey State Sen. and former Democratic Gov. Richard Codey is seen before New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy delivers his State of the State address to a joint session of the Legislature at the statehouse, in Trenton, N.J., Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)