Valencia 4–1 Real Madrid — Full Game Analysis
This match was more like a penalty execution procedure than a normal football game. Valencia was awarded with three penalties by the referee Jesus Gil Manzano and a combination of Carlos Soler scoring a hat-trick of penalties and Raphael Varane putting the ball into his own net, allowed coach Javi Garcia and his group to take away some of the pressure after a tough start in La Liga.
Real Madrid was coming from an impressive victory 3–2 against Inter during the week in their Champions League clash. After defeating Barcelona 3–1 and hammering Huesca 4–1 last week, the Los Blancos were looking forward to putting on another good performance at the Mestalla.
Zinedine Zidane was forced to reformulate the starting lineup after Eden Hazard and Casemiro tested positive to COVID-19 forcing him to alter his team. There were four changes: with Marcelo returning at left-back in place of Mendy. Kroos was also out of the lineup as Luka Modric started. Vinicius and Isco were the choices Zidane made in order to replace Hazard and Casemiro.
Here are the starting line-ups for each team respectively:
REAL MADRID (4–3–3): Thibaut Courtois; Lucas Vazquez, Raphael Varane, Sergio Ramos, Marcelo; Luka Modric, Federico Valverde, Isco; Marco Asensio, Karim Benzema, Vinicius Junior.
VALENCIA (4–4–2): Jaume Domenech; Daniel Wass, Gabriel Paulista, Hugo Guillamon, Jose Gaya; Yunus Musah, Carlos Soler, Uros Racic, Denis Cheryshev; Lee Kang-In, Maxi Gomez.
Real Madrid was moving the ball very well in the first twenty minutes, having Modric and Isco as their main facilitators, their playmakers. Zidane’s squad entered the game with high energy, they were very ambitious with the ball. In a brilliant effort from the left flank, Marcelo passed the ball to Karim Benzema, who stroke the ball into the top-right corner to take the lead 1–0. This was Benzema’s fourth goal in LaLiga this season.
Six minutes later, the chaos commences: Gaya fires a cross from the left flank, Lucas Vasquez blocks it with his arms away from his body and the referee points to the spot. (You see, Vasquez was used again as a right full-back due to the absences of Nacho Fernandez, Dani Carvajal and Alvaro Odriozola who are out with injuries).
Soler executes the penalty, Courtois makes a great save and in a second attempt Soler sends the ball to the post and then Musah intervened and with a strike from a close range scored — or at least that’s what he thought he did. The referee went to check the VAR and rightfully so, decided that the penalty had to be retaken.
Soler takes the penalty and this time he aimed at the bottom left corner knowing that due to Courtois’ height, it would be difficult for him to reach the ball.
Valencia equalizes and before the end of the first half they get the advantage after Raphael Varane put the ball into his own net. How many times has he done it this season so far? He did the same thing in the Champions League a couple of weeks ago against Shakthar Donetsk. It’s not Thanksgiving anymore. Enough gifts have been given so far.
In the second half, Valencia threatens right away with Kang-in attempting a long strike to the right corner, but it was barely saved by Courtois who touched the ball and sent it to the post then to safety. What a save!!
Later on, Gaya beats Vasquez AGAIN and with another cross from the left flank seeks to find Gomez, who falls down and screams like a kid that was bullied and robbed by some kids in school. The referee gives a yellow card to Marcelo for throwing Gomez down, yet it NEVER happened and the referre wasn’t willing to check the VAR. All this technology for what? They use it when they feel like they want to. That’s RIDICULOUS!!
With 62 minutes into the game, guess what happened? Another penalty!! This time it was Ramos. The only defender who hadn’t made a mistake was Ramos. Well, he joined the rest of the group. Soler scores again and then….wait for it……Zidane decided that it was time to make some substitutions. OMG!!
Martin Odegaard and Rodrygo replaced Vinicious Junior and Marco Asensio respectively.
Then, the score 4–1 wasn’t enough for the Los Blancos, Karim Benzema clutches his thigh and while the discomfort was portrayed on his face, Mariano Diaz replaces him for the last fifteen minutes of the game. Along with Benzema, Federico Valverde comes out for Toni Kroos.
One thing I never understood was why Mendy was on the bench and didn’t start the game. He is in better form than Marcelo and has the legs to run and cover the left flank, something that Marcelo seems to not be able to do.
This defeat didn’t allow Real Madrid to catch Real Sociedad at the top of the board.