In their desperate league situation, Valencia’s defeat by Real Madrid is a cruel punishment, carrying an immense emotional weight beyond that of football, on Carlos Corberán’s debut. The Cheste coach was left unrewarded after experiencing a night that seemed perfect, both football-wise and atmospherically, with a macro-protest against Lim. With a lead in the table and a numerical advantage following the expulsion of Vinícius Junior, fighting against the obstacles, surviving a missed penalty and a goal denied to Mbappé, this would have been the reward of a serious, courageous and worthy team which seemed to be resurrected, putting her opponent on the ropes in an incredible display of personality in the first half and defensive efficiency in the second. With everything in their favor, and after showing competitiveness, Valencia went down with substitutions without Javi Guerra on the pitch and found themselves overwhelmed by Real Madrid’s epic resilience, which is considerable. From Vinícius’ disturbing noise to Modric’s precision, everything was accelerated by two errors from Hugo Guillamón. A night of no possible consolation, ending with the image of Luis Rioja’s left-footed shot hitting the crossbar, the rebound wandering along the goal line.
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“We must have the desire to fight, fight, fight.” Corberán’s message before taking the field espoused the principles of rescue for any team in crisis: holding on to very specific orders and regaining lost personality. His players accepted the challenge, executed it with a calm mind despite their shaken self-confidence and understood that in such a setting they would have to sail in open waters against the opponent who punishes the exchange of blows the most in the world – Madrid.
It was vital to start the match well, to hold on with good feelings and a balanced score to gain personality. The first warning came from Valverde just 5 minutes after kick-off, but Valencia quickly recovered, spreading their wings like a powerful bat. The three-man defense released Rioja on the left and Foulquier on the right, both incisive, creating a superiority and a sense of danger that a combative Mestalla appreciated, encouraging and protesting.
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The first real opportunity came from Hugo Duro, of course, in a match where he always shines. A basic action. A diagonal ball from Dimitrievski towards the running Rioja, who faced and positioned himself to cross (from his right) at the far post. Javi Guerra left it short for Duro to strike comfortably, with Courtois making a superb save. Then Diego López’s cross was headed again by Hugo Duro, with intent, but he went straight to the cross.
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Valencia began to take control, using a 5-4-1 in defense which showed its teeth in attack with a 4-3-3 formation, very comfortable with a midfield anchored by Barrenechea, while Javi Guerra and André Almeida brought quality in the final third. Valencia continued to press, with a run from Foulquier, transformed into Cafú, who, almost at an angle, was prevented by Courtois after a one-two with Diego López.
And on their fourth attempt after 26 minutes, the goal arrived. A new appearance from Foulquier, with a shot from Javi Guerra, deflected by Courtois, allowing a sparkling Hugo Duro to witness the liberating explosion from Mestalla.
Valencia managed its advance with skill and tactical obedience. They endured Madrid’s final push before the break, which gained ground. Corberán’s men contained each attempt rigorously, forcing Madrid to resort to second-rate forays from Valverde. The most promising chance came in the 42nd minute, a face-off perfectly resolved by the very intuitive Dimitrievski, with Valverde, somewhat hurried and individualistic up to that point, demanding the ball from his teammates and contesting every decision.
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The second half devolved, as expected, into a Madrid monologue, driven by the needs of each team. In suffering, Mestalla clung to two morale boosters. First, the penalty missed by Bellingham, resulting from a questionable decision against Tàrrega’s body charge on Mbappé. VAR saved Valencia’s skin during another Madrid blitz, with Mbappé’s goal ruled out after being marginally offside, which would have seen him score against Dimitrievski with a silky pass.
The match had its most controversial moment, once again with Vinícius Junior in the spotlight. The Brazilian, marked closely by boos and ironic chants from Mestalla, pushed Dimitrievski when the ball was dead. The VAR judged the action as a direct red card. The visitors’ bench escorted the Ballon d’Or finalist to the locker room as he vented his frustrations.
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Valencia enjoyed a numerical advantage but not the energy or finishing touches. The dynamic of the match remained largely unchanged, testing Madrid’s epic ability, which always rises to the occasion. A lapse from Hugo Guillamón allowed Modric to capitalize. Night fell over Valencia, consumed by fears from their long-standing nightmare. In this scenario, a draw seemed a lesser evil to accept. Before Bellingham’s final goal in the 95th minute, followed by the final cruelty of Rioja’s shot hitting the crossbar. With such an attitude, escaping the shame of relegation is possible, but time is running out, and with Lim in charge of the winter market, it won’t be easy.
