Real Madrid’s pace and skill were too much for an inept and error-prone Valencia. Ronaldo and Di Maria tore apart the Valencia midfield and defence with a 4-goal onslaught near the end of the first half.
Cristiano Ronaldo (2), Higuaín and Di Maria (2) were the scorers, but the scoreline could have been double figures for Madrid had they converted up to 5 more easy chances. Ronaldo and Di Maria were the chief architects of a stunning Madrid performance, their best of the season.
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Pre-match comments and forecast
Match: Valencia v Real Madrid, La Liga (Spanish League First Division) 20 January 2013
Stadium: Mestalla, Valencia
Guest reporter/blogger: James Bogie.
Type of ticket and seating of our commentator: Category Two tickets (side view)
Valencia Team: Alves, Barragan, Rami, R Costa, Guardado, Gago, T CostaPiatti, Banega, Jonas, Soldado
Real Madrid Team: Casillas or Adan, Arbeloa, Albiol, Varane, Coentrao, Khedira, Alonso
Ozil, Di Maria, Ronaldo, Higuain
Both Valencia and Real Madrid are having poor seasons and this match could give them a boost after Barcelona’s defeat away to Sociedad. Ronaldo will be back from injury, he was sorely missed in Real Madrid ‘s last match which finished 0-0. Valencia fired their manager after a shocking drubbing by Sevilla (who went on to be drubbed by Betis in the next match). Valencia has one of the few squads that can come anywhere near matching Real or Barcelona.
Morale is low at Real Madrid as they prepare for their crunch match v Manchester United at the Bernabeu in February. There are rumours that Mourinho may drop Casillas again. Valencia will be looking for revenge after poor refereeing appeared to impide them from a win at the Bernabeu in midweek in the Copa del Rey first leg quarter final. New Valencia manager Valverde is banned from the tpouchline, when he was sent of for remonstrating with the referee in the 2-0 Copa del Rey defeat at the Bernabau on Tuesday.
Prematch Blog by our commentweetor
Just finished a wonderful long lunch at Casa Navarro down at Patacona beach, Valencia. Outstanding jamon de jabugo, paella and squid with a great Rioja, then a short stroll along the front, now in a taxi 2 St Pat’s. I’d like to tweet out to Carol, Alex and all the staff at St Patrick’s, Valencia on Gran Via Marqués de Turia – my favourite Irish bar Looking forward to a few pints before the match
Taxi driver is a bit of an arse though, taking me the wrrong way all along to the Port area near the go karts track. Hope he’s not following me on twitter….or his mum, or any hard members of his family. How do you delete tweets? aaahhhhh Shit, he has stopped the car and is pulling out a wheel jack from under his seat, this is not looking good….
Only kidding, but I’ll be more careful next time, Valencia is after all scene of one of the most intimidating cases of violence I remember. Ok arriiving now at St Pat’s, I’ll tweet about Valencia v Man Utd in 1983 afterwards…see you later this is Mario Kempes in Valencia,,,NOT
Just got my ticket from the http://spanishkicks.com guide. Short walk to the Meatalla from here. so all set. Just had a little bar crawl around the Canovas area opposite St Patrick’s – quite lively and lots of Madridistas supping pre match.
Anyway, Valencia 2, Man Utd 1. 29th September 1982. This is just after the world cup in Spain, “Rossi’s World Cup”. Some say thsi was a planned retaliation by Valencia fans and police to an attack on them in a previous round of UEFA Cup at Arsenal. There was much talk beforehand of “rogue reds” travelling unofficially to see the match and causing trouble- But these incidents happened against the official Man Utd travelling supporters with what looked like police connivance. Man Utd fans had been placed, strangely in a corner section near the pitch. Just aftyer Solsana’s penalty had equalised the Robson opener. Valencia fans seated right above this section started throwing fireworks into the Man Utd fans section. This sort of thing was not actually against the law in thsoe days ! Little valencianos stilll grow up playing regularly with fireworks..This caused a stampede (to safety) by the Man Utd fans, and the local police waded in with truncheons. A big disgrace. More people were watching the crown scenes by this time as Valencia’s Roberto scored a winner to make it 2-1 with Kempes’s Valencia through. Man Utd supporters buses stoned viciously on way back to town centre. Many good decent supporters had head wounds, All of the windows on the bus I was on were shattered and all had to crouch and shelter heads
We were sitting ducks. No response from the police. Ok we are going to have a quick tapa, and head for the ground. Mestalla was one of the main venues for that Mundial
Someone has reminded me about Mou’s nickname. Chaman de Ferias, “Fairground barker”. I keep forgetting that #hashtag effort #josemourinho. So named by Spanish writer and old style Madridista Javier Marias. Because of the dignity which Mourinho has brought to Real Madrid and the game in general. “We used to be above blaming the referee”. Careful Jose, Marias could rip you apart in a novel one day…So much for keeping the fans happy, talking of which, Casillas may be dropped again for this match.
Minute by Minute Report: Valencia CF 0 Real Madrid 5
| We are having another pint, then heading for the stadium. Thank you for all the retweet and messages #realmadrid #valencia |
| I keep forgetting that #hashtag effort #josemourinho |
| Real fans are sensibly occupying the upper tiers here at Mestalla less prone to firework and rockets attacks by the ché |
| Packed stadium and a great atmosphere |
| KICK OFF #valenciarealmadrid |
| Casillas will be in goal, and managed to catch the coin at the toss |
| Madrid in dark blue, Valencia in white |
| Valencia start well with Tino Costa on the left |
| Bit of early niggle after the disputed cup game in mid week, valencia want revenge |
| Ronaldo appeals for a penalty, but the ref spotted his dive |
| Great Madrid move on the right, Di Maria crosses and Higuain misses a sitter |
| GOAL 10′ Higuain 0-1 Madrid are slicing through VFC’s defence. Same move but on the left and no mistake from Higuain this time |
| 15′ Valencia are still taking the match to RM, forcing conerrs and free kicks. Madrid are always dangerous on the break though |
| The #fairgroundbarker sits quietly in the dugout, the fans singing non stop. , game in a placid phase |
| Good kick by Casillas, in a tomato red strip. Madrid corner |
| Vfc break from corner and should have had a penalty, good decision by the ref, but the home fans incensed |
| 25′ 0-1 Madrid deserve their lead |
| Khedira should have scored after Valencia give the ball away just outside box |
| ‘Fags” Coentrao is booked for handball after making a ridiculous claim that the ball hit his chest, Marias will be appalled |
| Another clinical passing move by Real, again they could easily have scored |
| 35′ GOAL Di Maria 0-2. Ronaldo is playing a blinder. His skills on the left and cross for a DM tap in at right post. Madrid far superior |
| 36´GOAL 0-3. Ronaldo |
| Same story, Valencia robbed from the restart, Ronaldo destroys Valencia defence left, and this time scores at the near post |
| Not a good goal for the keeper to concede but nrilliant skills from Crissy-boy #ronaldogoal |
| My attempts to get a chant going amongst the home fans have failed. You’re gonna get your fuckin heads kicked in loses a bit in translation |
| 41′ GOAL 0-4 Ronaldo |
| Some Valencia fans are heading for the exits already. No faith. Or fireworks? |
| But its Ronaldo setting off the fireworks here. I’ve lost count of the number of goals he has scored in this match… |
| 45′ GOAL 0-5 Di Maria! More pace and quality on the left from Ronaldo, more dithering by Valencia’s midfield |
| Half Time: Valencia 0 Real Madrid 5 |
| After his goal, Di Maria ran towards the crowd, and lifted his shirt (his OWN shirt mind..) |
| To reveal a t-shirt with “payback time” in careful felt pen |
| Alluding to the stoning and rocket attacks on the reds on September 82 I assume |
| However as there are now 30,000 empty seats in the Mestalla I am going to move round to join a group of Madridistas |
| everyone loves a winner, and Valencia have looked like a joke all season to me. I’ll join the madridistas and enjoy Valencia’s embarrassment |
| Spurs fan Tony has tweeted from the pub to say Madrid are 5 up but missed 3 sitters as well…true! |
| Madrid are now only 15 points behind Barcelona, with #elclasicotickets to come at the Bernabeu in march. |
| Chants of #halamadrid all around the ground, the Madrid fans have a bad case of halatosis |
| Valencia are the football equivalent of a pantomime horse, their petulant sacking of Pellegrinos said it all |
| As if their losing 5-0 at home to Sevilla was somehow a case of inept management rather than the daily work out of a pantomime horse |
| 60′ Valencia 0 Real 5. It was a great first half, but cant we just go home? |
| 67′ Mop top Modric replaces Ozil for Madrid. Its just the sort of game you’d want Modric on: nothing at stake |
| Bernat replacea Piatti for Valencia |
| Valencia’s Curva Nord fans are chanting defiantly, for them a 5 goal comeback is not impossible |
| They all have “Curva Nord” on their scarves. Have they ever been stoned by mobs of youths after a match? Doubt it. |
| 85′. Ronaldo misses from 2 yards connecting with a cross from the left, seemed easier to score. Could have been 0-10. |
| FULL TIME Valencia 0 Real Madrid 5, Morale booster for Mourinho, par for the course for dodgy Valencia. Great first half by Alonso, Di Maria, Ronaldo. |
| That’s it for today’s twitcast. I will be at St Patricks in 10 mins. Thanks to the dear retweeters and twitterlings! See you in the pub, JAMES |
