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Cruel Night at Mestalla (1-2)

Valencia suffered a cruel defeat against Real Madrid, who they managed to put on the ropes, led by Javi Guerra. Despite a numerical advantage after Vinícius’ red card, Carlos Corberán’s promising debut came to nothing.

In their desperate situation in the league, Valencia’s defeat against Real Madrid represents a just punishment, weighing emotionally much more than sportingly on Corberán’s first match. The Cheste native was left unrewarded after enjoying what seemed like a perfect footballing evening, accompanied by the massive protest against Lim. With the advantage on the board and a man more after the expulsion of Vinícius Junior, fighting against the tide, they survived a penalty against them and a disallowed goal for Mbappé. It would have been the reward for a gritty, courageous and dignified team that seemed to have resurrected itself, having its opponent on the ropes with a significant display of personality in the first half and defensive efficiency in the second. However, with everything in their favor, and after showing a fine competitive spirit, Valencia lost quality without Javi Guerra on the pitch and gave in to Real Madrid’s epic ability, which is considerable. From Vinícius’ loud outbursts to Modric’s precisions, everything accelerated after two errors from Hugo Guillamón. It was a comfortless night, the final image being Luis Rioja’s left-footed shot hitting the crossbar, the rebound moving lazily along the goal line.


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“We must have the will to compete, compete, compete,” was Corberán’s message before taking the field, echoing the lifesaving principles for any team in crisis: clinging to very specific orders and the aspiration to regain a lost identity. His players took on the challenge, executed it calmly despite their crushed self-esteem, and understood that in this scenario they would need to navigate open waters against the toughest team in the world in exchanges of blows , namely Madrid.


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It was essential to start the match well, to hold on with good vibes and a balanced score to build character. The first warning came from Valverde just five minutes after kick-off, but Valencia reacted quickly, spreading their wings like a powerful bat. The three central defense released Rioja on the left and Foulquier on the right, proving to be very incisive, creating superiority and a feeling of danger that the combative Mestalla appreciated, encouraging and protesting.

The first chances fell to Hugo Duro, naturally, in a match where he always shines. A basic action: a diagonal from Dimitrievski towards Rioja, who presented himself and positioned himself to cross (with his right foot) at the far post. Javi Guerra let it pass for Duro to finish unopposed, but Courtois responded well. Continuing, Diego López’s cross was headed by Hugo Duro, also intentional but directly towards the goalkeeper.


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Valencia began to dictate the game, sitting in a 5-4-1 defensive phase that revealed its fangs in a 4-3-3 attack, taking advantage of a midfield with Barrenechea as anchor and Javi Guerra and André Almeida very liberated, contributing to quality in the final thirds. Valencia persisted, with a breakthrough from Foulquier, who had been converted to Cafú, almost finding Courtois after completing a one-two with Diego López.

And in their fourth approach in 26 minutes, the goal arrived. Another appearance from Foulquier, with a shot from Javi Guerra, difficult for Courtois to clear, leading to a very lively Hugo Duro who offered the liberating explosion from Mestalla.

Valencia managed their advance with ingenuity and a lot of tactical obedience. They held their own against Madrid’s surge before the break, which gained ground. Corberán’s men contained each attempt closely, with renewed intensity, forcing Madrid to resort to Valverde’s late forays. And he appeared, until then a bit hurried and individualistic, vocal in every close-up on television, directing his teammates, asking for balls or protesting. He had the clearest opportunity in the 42nd minute, a face-off well resolved by a very intuitive Dimitrievski.


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The second half, as was almost logical, turned into a Madrid monologue, given the needs of both teams. Amid the suffering, Mestalla held on to two encouraging moments: Bellingham’s missed penalty, a highly questionable call for a shoulder charge from Tàrrega on Mbappé. Technology saved Valencia from another Madrid strike, with Mbappé’s goal disallowed for marginal offside before sailing past Dimitrievski and scoring into an empty net.


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The match had a controversial moment, once again with Vinícius Junior in the spotlight. The Brazilian, closely watched by Mestalla with whistles and ironic chants, pushed Dimitrievski when the ball went out of bounds, fueling their rivalry already well underway since a Madrid-Rayo match. The VAR rightly considered the action as a red card. The visiting bench led the Ballon d’Or finalist to the locker room as he expressed his thoughts.

Valencia enjoyed a numerical advantage but lacked energy and finishing. The flow of the match did not change profoundly, testing the epic ability of Madrid, a rival that always finds a way to survive. Without Vini’s noise, they gained camaraderie. A lapse from Hugo Guillamón allowed Modric to seize his chance. Night has fallen for Valencia, overwhelmed by the fears of her long nightmare. In such circumstances, an equalizer seemed a lesser evil to accept, before Bellingham’s 95th-minute goal and the final cruelty of Rioja’s shot hitting the crossbar. With this attitude, it is possible to avoid the embarrassment of relegation, but time is running out, especially with Lim at the helm during the winter transfer window.


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