Valencia topple Real Madrid 2-1 to breathe life back into the La Liga title race
Barça and Sevilla would have been happy onlookers as two goals in the first 10 minutes downed Madrid
Life was breathed back into Barcelona’s title hopes on Wednesday as Real Madrid were beaten 2-1 by Valencia at Mestalla.
Simone Zaza and Fabian Orellana were both on target in the opening 10 minutes to leave Zinedine Zidane’s side with a mountain to claim on the Spanish coast.
Cristiano Ronaldo pulled a goal back just before half-time, but Madrid were unable to find an equaliser after the break as Valencia were denied two penalties.
Madrid are still one point clear of Barca, three ahead of Sevilla and still have a game in hand on them both -- against Celta Vigo — but they’ve been left with less room for error in the title race.
Valencia have struggled this season and are more concerned about relegation than mounting a challenge for Europe.
However, Voro, the four-time caretaker coach who will remain in the job until the end of the season, has helped them improve. They’d won their previous two league games before Wednesday's match and have always given Madrid something to think about at Mestalla.
It didn’t take them long to give them something to think about here. Within 10 minutes they’d already scored twice.
Barcelona target Joao Cancelo sent Barcelona loanee Munir scuttling down the right, but his cross look to be mis-controlled by Zaza.
But Zaza, who was impressive throughout after a spell with West Ham didn’t go to plan earlier in the season, gathered the ball back in and span Raphael Varane. What came next was stunning: a left foot finish on the turn curling into the top corner of Keylor Navas’ goal.
Minutes later Madrid were caught on the counter. Zaza fed Nani, who timed his pass to Orellana perfectly. And while Navas could do little about Valencia’s first goal, he’d have been disappointed to see this one slip through his legs.
Munir saw an effort deflected over the bar and Dani Parejo came close with a free-kick, but as Madrid settled into the game, they began to ask questions at the other end.
A Ronaldo shot had already fizzed across the goal-line and a James Rodriguez effort was scrambled off the line when Los Blancos pulled one back just before the break. Marcelo’s cross was expertly headed home by Ronaldo on his 700th club appearance.
Madrid made all the running in the second half but the big decisions were made at the other end.
First of all, Dani Carvajal shoulder-barged Zaza, only for the referee to wave play on. And almost immediately after Sergio Ramos cut short a Munir sprint up the pitch in the area. The result was the same. No penalty. Valencia were rightly aggrieved.
In search of the equaliser, Gareth Bale came on for James for the final half hour and Lucas Vazquez replaced Luke Modric for the last 15 minutes.
There were no more goals, though, and it sets up a fascinating weekend in La Liga: Madrid travel to Villarreal and Atletico Madrid host Barca.
