Valencia CF - La Liga no longer a 2 horse race

[Jam_Van_Dam]

Match Preview

Real Madrid v Valencia
Santiago Bernbeu
23 September 2012 - Kick Off 5:00pm

Real Madrid will play host to Valencia in tonight's 5:00pm kick off game at the Santiago Bernabeu. The home side currently sit top of the league with 5 wins out of 5 in which has been a very strong start to the season. Valencia meanwhile occupying a place in the bottom half of the table having lost both of their away games this season they will have to be at their best today if they want to stop that trend. Madrid are without 2 key players Khedira (injury) and Ricardo Carvalho (suspension). Valencia's attacking midfielder Costa will also miss the game due to a red card he revcieved last time out.

Real Madrid
GK Casillas
RB Sergio Ramos (c)
RCB Pepe
LCB Lucio
LB Fabio Coentrao
RDM Xabi Alonso
LDM Diarra
RM Di Maria
LM Cristiano Ronaldo
CAM David Silva
ST Aguero
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Adan, Raul Albiol, Abeloa, Kaka, Ozil, Jose Callejon, Higuain

Valencia
GK Diego Alves
RB Beck
CB Rami
CB Victor Ruiz
LB Jordi Alba
CM Beckham
CM Banega
CAM Ronaldinho
RW Di Natale
ST Soldado (c)
LW Arshavin
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Moya, Gallas, Miguel, Topal, Piatti, Pablo Hernandez, Jonas

[Jam_Van_Dam]

Match day 6
Real Madrid 4– 1 Valencia CF
Aguero 14' (Mad)
Arshavin 19' (Val)
Banega 20' (Val)
Arshavin 45' (Val)
Ronaldo 50' (Mad)
Rami 74' (Val)
Higuan 78' (Mad)
Xabi Alonso 82' (Mad)

Match Facts
14 Shots 9
8 Shots on target 5
46% Possession 54%
15 Tackles 5
4 Fouls 8
3 Corners 4
57% Shot Accuracy 55%
85% Pass Accuracy 79%
Man of the match: Xabi Alonso (Mad) 7.30
1 Goal
25/28 Passes Completed
8/8 Dribbles Completed
3/6 Tackles Won
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A rather close game at the Bernabeu eventually saw Real Madrid come out 4-1 winners against struggling Valencia. Unlike their 5 previous games Real did not have everything their own way however in the end a lack of concentration at vital times arguably cost Valencia the match. The win keeps Madrid top of the league with a maximum 18 points from the first 6 games.

Other La Liga scores
Atheltic Bilbao 2 - 0 Real Sociedad
Getafe 2 - 0 Atletico Madrid
Hercules 1 - 1 Deportivo
Sevilla 2 - 1 Real Valladolid
Granada 1 - 1 Osasuna
Malaga 5 - 1 Racing Club
Real Madrid 4 - 1 Valencia
Real Zaragoza 2 - 2 Real Betis
Villarreal 2 - 0 Real Socidad
Mallorca 1 - 2 Espanyol

[bhurst99]

Rough start to the year. Must have been a decent game if you had 54 per cent possession.

[Jam_Van_Dam]

Quote: Originally Posted by bhurst99

Rough start to the year. Must have been a decent game if you had 54 per cent possession.

Yea not a good start at all but slightly better than last year lol

It was a much closer game than the scoreline suggests! I decided to go all out attack with 15 minutes remaining to try and find the equaliser and Madrid made me pay

[Jam_Van_Dam]

Match day 7
Valencia CF 2 – 2 Granada
Diakhate 17' (Gra)
Miku 34' (Gra)
Diakhate 43' (Gra)
Aouate 62' (Gra)
Banega 20' (Val)
Beckham 76' (Val)
Jonas 90' (Val)





Match Facts
12 Shots 8
7 Shots on target 3
46% Possession 54%
13 Tackles 15
4 Fouls 5
2 Corners 2
58% Shot Accuracy 37%
80% Pass Accuracy 81%
Man of the match: Jonas (Val) 6.40
1 Goal
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Valencia came from 2 goals down to earn a share of the spoils against Granada in todays match at the Mestalla. 2 first half goals gave Granada a good lead to see out the rest of the game however when goalkeeper Aouate was sent off they could not hold on and late goals from Beckham and Jonas snatched a draw for Valencia.

Other La Liga scores
Barcelona 4 - 0 Mallorca
Atletico Madrid 3 - 1 Hercules
Osasuna 1 - 2 Getafe
Racing Club 0 - 0 Real Madrid
Real Betis 1 - 1 Athletic Bilbao
Real Sociedad 0 - 1 Sevilla
Valencia 2 - 2 Granada
Deportivo 1 - 1 Villarreal
Espanyol 1 - 0 Malaga
Real Valladolid 2 - 1 Real Zaragoza

Thats's awesome! I've never seen the keeper sent off before.

[Jam_Van_Dam]

Quote: Originally Posted by BigDaddyGin

Thats's awesome! I've never seen the keeper sent off before.

The weird thing for me was when the keeper tackled my player the ref intially played on then called the foul several seconds later and issued the red card. I have never seen a ref play advantage then give a red card! Normally it's only ever a yellow or just the foul.

[Jam_Van_Dam]

Match day 8
Racing Club 2 – 3 Valencia CF
Di Natale 30' (Val)
Nahuelpan 46' (Rac)
Di Natale 53' (Val)
Jordi Alba 69' (Val)
Colsa 72' (Rac)
Kone 86' (Rac)
Ruben Suarez 46' (Rac)

Match Facts
8 Shots 9
3 Shots on target 4
47% Possession 53%
18 Tackles 13
3 Fouls 5
0 Corners 4
37% Shot Accuracy 44%
83% Pass Accuracy 78%
Man of the match: Piatti (Val) 7.20
2 Assists
14/18 Passes Completed
15/22 Dribbles Completed
2/6 Crosses Completed
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Valencia finally took their first away points of the season with a 3-2 win over Racing Club. Surprisingly summer signings Arshavin and Ronaldinho could only make a place on the bench as they were replaced in the starting 11 by Piatti and Sergio Canales. With the latter pair performing well to help Valencia overcome their horrible away form have they done enough to keep their positions? Valencia move up to 12th in the league while defeat sends Racing Club into the relegation zone.

Other La Liga scores
Hercules 1 - 1 Osasuna
Real Madrid 3 - 0 Espanyol
Real Zaragoza 0 - 0 Real Sociedad
Athletico Bilbao 3 - 0 Real Valladolid
Getafe 1 - 1 Granada
Racing Club 2 - 3 Valencia
Mallorca 1 - 1 Real Betis
Sevilla 2 - 0 Deportivo
Villarreal 1 - 0 Athletico Madrid
Malaga 1 - 0 Barcelona

[Jam_Van_Dam]

Match day 9
Valencia CF 2 – 2 Getafe
Soladado (p) 19' (Val)
Jordi Alba 33' (Val)
Sergio Garcia 56' (Get)
Rami 58' (Val)
Jonas 83' (Val)
Miguel 87' (Val)
Sergio Garcia 90' (Get)

Match Facts
9 Shots 14
4 Shots on target 9
46% Possession 45%
9 Tackles 16
4 Fouls 4
1 Corners 3
44% Shot Accuracy 64%
82% Pass Accuracy 88%
Man of the match: Diego Alves (Val) 7.90
13 Saves

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A cruel late goal scored by Serigo Garcia was enough to deny Valencia all 3 points at the Mestalla. Alot of the Valencia were not impressed with equaliser due to amount of added on time by the referee. The result keeps both teams in middle area with Getafe 10th and Valencia 11th. Meanwhile a lone Messi goal was enough to give Barcelona a 1-0 over Madrid in the El Clasico. The defeat is Madrids first of the season and they share the top spot of the league with Athletic Bilbao with Barcelona 3 points behind in 3rd.

Other La Liga scores
Atletico Madrid 0 - 2 Sevilla
Osasuna 1 - 1 Villarreal
Barcelona 1 - 0 Real Madrid
Granada 1 - 0 Hercules
Deportivo 1 - 2 Real Zaragoza
Espanyol 3 - 2 Racing Club
Real Betis 0 - 0 Malaga
Real Sociedad 2 - 3 Atheletic Bilbao
Real Valladolid 2 - 2 Mallorca
Valencia 2 - 2 Getafe

[Jam_Van_Dam]

Match day 10
Espanyol 1 – 1 Valencia CF
Moreno 3' (Esp)
Moreno 37' (Esp)
Victor Sanchez 41' (Esp)
Di Natale 53' (Val)
Barna 72' (Esp)


Match Facts
12 Shots 17
3 Shots on target 10
52% Possession 48%
18 Tackles 9
3 Fouls 2
2 Corners 4
25% Shot Accuracy 58%
84% Pass Accuracy 78%
Man of the match: C Alvarez (Esp) 7.20
11 Saves
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Another draw for Valencia saw them stretch their unbeaten run to 4 games against 10 men Espanyol. Valencia dominated the match and played the majority of the football in Espanyol's half but after firing shot after shot they could only score 1 goal past the impressive Alvarez.

Other La Liga scores
Hercules 0 - 3 Getafe
Espanyol 1 - 1 Valencia
Real Madrid 2 - 0 Real Betis
Real Zaragoza 3 - 0 Atletico Madrid
Sevilla 3 - 0 Osasuna
Athletico Bilbao 0 - 0 Deportivo
Malaga 1 - 0 Real Valladolid
Racing Club 2 - 2 Barcelona
Villarreal 3 - 0 Granada
Mallorca 2 - 3 Real Sociedad