Valencia-Real Madrid is a fixture which carries pressure and expectation for both sides, and has seen some classic encounters over the years. These two sides have faced each other in countless mesmerising La Liga clashes and even in a Champions League final, but the latest edition was certainly not one for the history books.
A raucous atmosphere at Mestalla greeted both teams, with two coaches in similar-but-different situations at their clubs. Both Valencia and Real Madrid are having poor seasons, but such is Peter Lim’s ownership of Valencia that this almost feels like the norm now. Whilst Carlos Corberan is trying to keep Valencia in the top flight, Alvaro Arbeola is trying to win it. Real Madrid’s failings in the Copa Del Rey and Champions League have not translated to their results in La Liga, although Los Blancos failed to shrug off the many, many question marks surrounding their performance levels, and their display at Mestalla did little to provide signs of encouragement.
Valencia came into the game on the back of their last-minute Copa Del Rey exit just five days before. Inaki Williams silenced Mestalla into a lull of apathy, but early on, the noise suggested that the fans were still up for a fight against a club which has tormented them so many times. Corberan’s name was whistled by most of the stadium before the game even kicked off, but his squad, who have so often been labelled ‘mercenarios’ [mercernaries] by their own fans, actually put up a fight in the first half.
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Lucas Beltran was again Valencia’s most impressive player, his tenacity and intelligent passing proving useful as he dropped into midfield from his second-striker role. A few corners were won, and this encouraged more noise from the Curva Nord. Real Madrid were passive in midfield, and offered very little upfront, with Arbeola’s attempted 4-4-2 not paying off, feeling the absences of Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Junior.
Image via Aitor Alcalde/Getty Images
Valencia did not take advantage of these absences though. In the last week, they have lost to a weakened Real Betis, a rotated Athletic Club, and now failed to impose any attacking threat against a vulnerable Real Madrid. Alvaro Carreras has been a shining light in an otherwise frustrating campaign for Real Madrid, and it was the left-back who opened the scoring, cutting inside and jinking past several Valencia defenders before finding the bottom corner.
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January signing Unai Nunez did give Valencia a more solid base for most of the game, but their defence passively watched on as Carreras showed them exactly the kind of creative invention their side has lacked for years. Rather than responding with extra intensity, Valencia retreated into their shells. Beltran was the only one driving Los Che forward, and their best chance came as his first-time effort clipped the outside of the post.
Image via DFP / Europa Press
Corberan has often been accused of making late substitutions, and the sight of Umar Sadiq in the 82nd minute should have been one which galvanised the fans.
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However, this may have been the coach’s final nail in the coffin. No one could believe what they were seeing as the fourth official’s board went up, and Beltran’s number appeared. Mestalla had fallen fairly flat after going behind, but this was no longer apathy; this was pure anger.
“Corberan, resign,” was the shout from huge sections of the 47,000 fans in attendance, including most of the Fondo Nord. The white handkerchiefs were out, and this felt like a potential turning point in his future, less than a week after General Manager Ron Gourlay professed complete faith in Corberan as the leader of their project.
Frustrations towards Corberan have been building for a few months, but this one decision felt like the point of no return for him. The board and Lim were also targeted, as they always are, but Mestalla’s ferocious anger towards their manager highlights what a mess they have become.
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Kylian Mbappe then sealed Real Madrid’s victory, with lackadaisical defending allowing him all the time in the world in the box. Whilst it was far from a top performance, grabbing three points with minimal fuss at a stadium where Real Madrid have dropped a lot of points in the past, with several players missing, was a positive step for Arbeola and his team.
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