Security forces intervened in response to protests that took place before the Valencia-Real Madrid match.
Police clashes occurred near the Mestalla during the demonstration led by thousands of Valencia supporters against Peter Lim and his management of Valencia Club de Fútbol. Tensions rose to the point that authorities had to act immediately after some protesters provoked officers in one of the most hostile moments before the match at the Mestalla.
This showdown between Valencia and Real Madrid is one of the most exciting clashes of the start of 2025. The atmosphere around the Mestalla was electric, as indicated by the cheers reserved for both teams. The home fans supported their players, singing and cheering minutes before the clash between these two titans of football, who are currently experiencing radically different times.
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Outrage among Valencia fans towards Peter Lim and the club’s management is at an all-time high, following a significant drop in the team’s value in recent years. The club has gone from fighting for Champions League places and winning the Copa del Rey to battling relegation. Valencia’s current La Liga campaign, along with its supporters, is focused on avoiding relegation to the second division of Spanish football, a goal hampered by the instability affecting the club at the moment. Carlos Corberán, the new manager, is a clear sign of the discontent prevalent around the Turia region. He was hired to breathe life into a team demoralized by a long series of poor results.
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Valencia fans have reached their breaking point with the current situation, leading to the organization of a protest against Lim’s disastrous management right outside the Mestalla. Thousands of fans gathered to express their discontent with the club’s leaders in an atmosphere charged with tension that continued to rise. Security forces had to intervene against some demonstrators who acted violently towards officers. Police dispersal tactics were used to try to calm the masses after moments of significant unrest just outside the Mestalla.
Many protesters chose not to enter the stadium until the 19th minute as a form of protest. Initially, they aimed to empty the Mestalla for the entire match, but the arrival of new hope with the appointment of Corberán represented a setback for the most radical protesters. Ultimately, a few thousand fans attended the late entry, which was not reflective of the majority of Valencia fans entering the stadium in good time. The incidents with the police were quickly resolved, allowing the main sources of tension to be dissipated during the demonstration against the management of Peter Lim which characterized the pre-match atmosphere between Valencia and Real Madrid.
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A royal morning at O Couto for Ourense CF
On Friday, Valencia, through their captain José Luis Gayà, presented a framed photo of the flag, the tifo, and the mosaic of the stands from the first match played after the floods at the Mestalla as a gesture of gratitude to Real Madrid for their sensitivity and support.
During the presentation to Lucas Vázquez, with the Mestalla bursting with applause, the Valencia club expressed its gratitude for the many gestures of solidarity shown by the Madrid club after the catastrophic floods of October 29, 2024, which devastated much of from the province of Valencia.
Two days after the disaster, Real Madrid donated a million euros to help rebuild the affected areas, and ever since, their memory of Valencia has been omnipresent. Both in the Champions League match against AC Milan and in the La Liga encounter against Osasuna at the Santiago Bernabéu, they displayed immense senyera in the West Stand as the players observed a poignant minute of silence accompanied by the anthem of the Comunitat Valenciana.
This huge banner was then given to Valencia and Levante for their respective tributes. The framed gift from Valencia to Real Madrid features the senyera on the pitch at the Mestalla during their match against Real Betis when Valencia returned to the competition. Real Madrid also remembered the victims of the floods during the opening of their Compromisarios Members’ Assembly and in the Christmas speech given by President Florentino Pérez.
