La Liga Matchday #12: RCD Espanyol 1 - 2 Valencia CF Match Thread

Three wins, five draws, three losses, that's Valencia's record so far, producing a total of 14 points from 11 games. At the middle of the table in 11th position is where the team finds itself. 15 goals for, 17 goals against.

Last game against Sevilla managed to be an even game. The substitute Ruben Sobrino, who barely gets time on the pitch, makes an appearance off the bench to score a fantastic glancing header to cancel out Ocampos's goal and rescue a draw.

Today's game is against a team that hasn't performed this season. They also sit far from they want to be or where they usually are. Espanyol find themselves second-last with 8 points from 11 games.

In their last game, Espanyol visited Athletic Bilbao were they suffered a 3-0 defeat.

Again, we cannot plan on this being an "easy" game as there have been none for the team recently. Every game is a challenge. Teams in relegation have everything to play for and can put one hell of a game.

Espanyol form: LWLLL
Valencia form: DLDWW

LINEUPS

In terms of lineups, Guedes and Gameiro are still recovering from previous injuries. Coquelin picked up an injury in the last game and was ruled out of this game. Carlos Soler is also out with an injury and further adds to the list of players to miss the game. Piccini still has 2-3 months of recovery to deal with, while Mangala is yet to be up to standard to get a start.

On the other hand, Rodrigo and Cheryshev return from their suspensions that made them miss the last game. They will be good additions to the lineup.

Finally, both Sobrino and Vallejo earned call-ups after their performance during the last game, with Sobrino managing to snatch the goal needed for a draw.

In defense, Diakhaby is brought in for Gabriel Paulista and Gaya is rested, giving Jaume Costa another start. Wass and Garay retain their spots in the lineup.

With Coquelin injured, the start goes to Kondogbia to partner Dani Parejo in midfield. Cheryshev and Ferran play to either side of them in this 4-4-2.

While Sobrino did have a great game last game, Rodrigo and Gomez are still preferred by Celades as the starting strikers.

Bench: Jaume, Paulista, Gaya, Correia, Kang In, Sobrino, Vallejo

MATCH

6' - Nice move from Maxi Gomez, dispossession the defender on the right flank. He makes a run and finds the run of Cheryshev who controls under pressure from two defenders, fire at goal but it's just above the crossbar. Good chance!
8' - Dangerous chance on the other end. A corner from Espanyol finds Darder at the edge of the penalty area, unmarked. He hits the volley into the ground and the ball bounces into the top left corner but a great save from Cillissen!
19' - Pretty even looking game so far, chances for each team.
20' - Parejo with a corner that misses everyone and curls straight out of play on the opposite goal line.
25' - Kondogbia with a great challenge to deny the run of Lei, who was about to go through on goal
30' - Penalty for Espanyol. The ball is headed down following a corner onto the arm of Kondogbia. Yellow card.
31' - 1-0. Marc Roca sends Cillissen the wrong way and slots it into the bottom right corner.

HALF-TIME: Unfortunate to be down 1-0. The penalty against Kondogbia was headed down onto his arm. Other than that the defense had a decent game, clearing everything that came their way. Kondogiba himself helped out a lot with that. In attack the transitions are there, but the final product is still lacking. The best chance has to be the one early on for Cheryshev. Hopefully, the team can be more productive in the final third in the next half.

53' - The referee blows the whistle for a challenge on Diakhaby in the penalty box following a corner. The Espanyol players protest and the referee checks with VAR. The referee is told to check his decision on the video screen and he takes all but 2 seconds to overrule the decision. It looks like Diakhaby handled the ball in the lead up to that challenge.
56' - Lei goes down in the box from just a touch of Kondogbia and appeals for a penalty, referee correctly waves play on.
58' - Garay takes out Sergi Dader to stop his run with a shoulder charge sending him to the ground. Free kick at the edge of the box for Espanyol. Cillissen guess correctly but Victor Sanchez's shot was just wide anyway.
62' - Double substitution from Celades. Ferran and Cheryshev are taken off, Vallejo and Sobrino are brought on.
64' - Rodrigo dispossesses the Espanyol defender in an advanced position. He makes the run and leaves the ball to Maxi Gomez. He tries to return the ball to Rodrigo but he overplays it and Rodrigo cannot reach it.
65' - First change for Espanyol, Lei off, Vargas on.
67' - Penalty for Valencia. Rodrigo is shoved in the back in the penalty box following a cross from Wass.
69' - 1-1! Parejo scores! Diego Lopez dives down to his right but Parejo sends it at a height that is too high for him to reach. Right direction, wrong height from the keeper.
71' - Brilliant build up play for Valencia. Parejo plays the ball to Rodrigo who plays it to Sobrino and continues on his run into the box. Sobrino attempts to return the ball but it again has too much weight on it.
72' - Parejo with a corner. He finds Ruben Sobrino but his header is hit straight at the goalkeeper. He had the chance to do again what he did against Sevilla.
73' - Ferreyra off, Campuzano on for Espanyol
76' - Kondogbia with a great strike following a run where he dummied out a defender to find the  space. The effort is just wide. Close chance.
77' - Last change for Espanyol, Darder comes off for Granero.
80' - GOAL for Valencia! 1-2! Rodrigo and Kondogiba team up to dispossess the Espanyol player on the left flank. Kondogbia plays the ball to Vallejo who finds the wide run of Rodrigo. Rodrigo plays a delightful cross for Maxi Gomez on the near post who heads it past the keeper. Great service, and great goal.
86' - Jaume Costa clears a dangerous ball out of the box by twisting his body and hooking it out of play. He's gone down in pain. Meanwhile it appears Sobrino picked up an injury in the build up to that play.
88' - Jaume Costa returns to the field of play, Sobrino is taken off for Gaya.
90' - Six minutes added by the referee for stoppages.

FINAL THOUGHTS

This was a decent game. Espanyol had their chances but they dealt with one way or another, pretty or not, and contained by the defense, with some help from Kondogbia.

In offense, our three best chances were from Cheryshev early on, from Kondogbia from distance, the penalty from Parejo and from Maxi Gomez for the goal. Half of those were converted to goals. The linkup play and build up and transition is there for a lot of the attacks but the final ball is really the missing piece here. Rodrigo could've had 2 goals if the passes from Maxi Gomez and Sobrino were weighted correctly.

It's a shame that Sobrino had to be taken off due to an injury. It seems like every game the team picks up at least one more. Hopefully, its a quick recovery.

The handballs, penalties and booking are a persisting issue with the team. Need to get it under control. This game was surprisingly low booking with only 1 yellow card. There were many challenges that I felt deserved one such as the elbow to the back of Maxi Gomez's head or the dive in the penalty box from Lei.

Picking up points away from home is always good. It was even better for the team's confidence to manage a comeback from behind. Might not have been the prettiest of games and perhaps made harder than it should've been but a win nonetheless.

The team has a big game against Lille next in the Champions League on Tuesday at the Mestalla. This game was good for the confidence to take into that game. The game on Tuesday will be a challenge but it's also the best chance to stay in contention to qualify from the group. We cannot count on other team's slipping up but rather must be proactive and take charge, especially in the two home games we have.

La Liga Matchday #11: Valencia CF 1 - 1 Sevilla FC Match Thread

This is a true test. Sevilla is perhaps Valencia's main rival for the Champions League positions. Every year, the two teams fight for fourth place. This will be a measure of how far off Valencia is from their rival.

In terms of league positions, Sevilla sit at 5th with 19 points, while Valencia is 12th with 13 points. That's a two-game difference. A win here will close the distance and bring Valencia within distance of them. The home crowd at Mestalla will surely want a win, especially against Sevilla.

Last game was a disaster for Valencia. The team took the lead early away from home through the recovered Rodrigo after some great persistence from Kevin Gameiro to keep the ball in play and find the cross. Soon after that the game transformed when Rodrigo was sent off with a straight red card for an elbow on the Osasuna player. With 10 men Valencia were overwhelmed and conceded three goals to throw away the three points. Sevilla played at home against Getafe and after a 70 minute deadlock, found the net twice to secure the win.

If this game wasn't challenging enough based on current form, Valencia has to do this without Guedes (injury), Rodrigo (suspension), Gameiro (injury) and Cheryshev (suspension). The latter three have played an important role in either setting up or scoring goals.

Valencia form: LDWWD
Sevilla form: WWLWL

LINEUP

With those key injuries and suspension, Celades has to adapt and try a different lineup. He has Kang In return after suspension, who should play some role tonight, you'd expect. Manu Vallejo and Ruben Sobrino, who've barely had a chance in previous games, are both called up to fill the void in attack. Who will start still remains to be seen.

Soler seems to be adjusting more and more every game after injury and hopefully Gaya does the same cause he has a big job ahead of him today.

Cillissen will return to being the starting keeper after some dizziness kept him out of the previous game, moments before it started.

Celades opted to play both KangIn and Ferran to address the gap left by Rodrigo and Cheryshev. This lineup should have a lot of energy.

It remains to be seen if this is a 4-3-3 or a 4-4-2 or even a 4-2-3-1. This lineup is flexible across all those formations. If Ferran is partnering up with Maxi Gomez up front, it will be an interesting to see if he can be as lethal as he is for the Spanish U21 side where he regularly scores a lot of goals. 

Bench: Jaume, Diakhaby, Costa, Correia, Kondogbia, Vallejo, Sobrino

MATCH

1' - It looks like a 4-4-2 with Kang In playing upfront alongside Maxi Gomez

3' - Interesting also that Soler is on the left and Ferran is played on the right side of midfield.

10' - Sevilla creating a few dangerous half-chances but the Valencia defense seems up to it so far.

12' - Kang In with great skill taking on 4 defenders and managing a cross but deflected for a corner. Parejo's corner is met with a glancing header from Soler but off-target.

14' - Ferran with great skill of his own on the opposite wing, taking out 2 Sevilla defenders and winning a corner. Parejo's corner is met by Paulista this time but he couldn't hit the target either. 

16' - It's great to see the ball being carried forward directly. Players always looking to make a run and driving the ball towards the opposing goal.

18' - Throughball for Chicharito gives him a chance at goal, but he hits the side-netting.

19' - Wass with a wonderful lob over the defense to give Ferran the ball in space, he crosses and finds Kang In whose volley is just over the cross-bar. Good chance.

21' - Ocampos fires from distance but it's wide of the far post.

23' - Ferran fights for the ball and wins a corner. This results in long stoppage as Escudero is elbowed to the face by his teammate in the process. 

27' - Escudero is stretchered away and Guedlj is brough on.

28' - Play resumes with a corner. It is parried away, falls to Wass, who fires from distance and it's narrowly wide.

32' - Late challenge by Joan Jordan on Dani Parejo. First booking for Sevilla and it's a yellow card.

36' - Gaya's crosses so far have left a lot to be desired, there are always played over everyone. 

38' - Ocampos, Gaya and Coquelin all go down. Replay shows Gaya tackling Ocampos off the ball, but VAR deems it only obstruction with not an act of aggression. Meanwhile Coquelin is taken off injured, this was unexpected and the substitution is taking a while.

40' - Kondogbia is brought on to restore Valencia to 11-men.

45' - 6 minutes of added time by the referee for all the stoppages.

45+1' - Yellow card for Ocampos after he a tackle on Gaya. Questions about whether it was really a yellow.

45+2' - Ferran steps on Ever Banega's foot and gets shown a yellow card. Free kick for Sevilla.

45+3' - 0-1, goal for Sevilla. And it's Ocampos. Totally unmarked, given the space to hit the ball low and it beats Cillissen from distance.

45+4' - Navas is pressured off the ball by Soler and the referee deems it a yellow card offense. Second booking for Valencia.

HALF-TIME: Sevilla lead with a goal on the edge of half-time. Valencia played a really good game for the majority of that first half with lots of energy and some chances from Soler, Paulista and Kang In. However, the team failed to capitalize and were lucky not to have Gaya sent off for an off-the-ball challenge on Ocampos. He would have an intense battle with Gaya after that, and would go on to score the goal. The referee began to lose control of the game towards the end and his lenient approach was soon after this incident transformed to booking left, right and center.  Kang In and Ferran were the stand out players of the half for Valencia.

46' - Valencia starting the second half in good fashion. Nearly a goal for Maxi Gomez after a mistake from the Sevilla defense. The goalkeeper produces a save out of nowhere to parry the ball for a corner.

51' - Garay booked for a challenge on Chicharito. Late challenge. Yellow card.

57' - Vallejo is the second substitution for Celades. Carols Soler off.

59' - Banega with a shot from distance. It's wide of the goal.

66 ' - Paulista has a few rough minutes. He falls down from dizziness, is restored but seems totally out of it. Now he earns a booking after a challenge on Chicharito is exaggerated to draw the booking. Yellow card.

68' - Kang In is taken off for Sobrino, clearly Celades wants more offense and brings on a conventional striker to partner with Maxi Gomez. All Valencia's substitutions have been used up.

73' - Maxi Gomez taken out at the edge of the box by Fernando. Yellow card. This is an excellent chance for Parejo. 

75' - The shot is fired straight at the wall and deflects out wide to Daniel Wass. He puts it for a cross but it's claimed by the keeper.

76' - Vallejo finds the back of the net but he is clearly in an offside position. The goal is disallowed.

80' - Parejo is taken out on the right wing by Chicharito. The linesman takes a while but eventually raises his flag for a foul. 

81' - GOAL Valencia! 1-1! Ruben Sobrino meets Parejo's cross and heads the ball into the back of the net. His first chance at goal and he scores!

88' - Valencia really pushing for goal. Great cross from Wass almost finds Maxi but it's cleared for a corner as the defender gets to it first. Parejo's corner is claimed by the keeper.

90' - Parejo tugs on Vazquez's shirt. Yellow card for the captain. Free kick for Sevilla. Joan Jordan with the delivery, its headed back in by the receiving player but Cillissen claims. Four minutes of additional time.

90+2' - Free kick for Valencia for a challenge on Sobrino, Valencia players rush forward. Nothing comes of it as Sevilla clears. 

90+4' - Valencia with one final free kick for a challenge on Maxi Gomez. Everyone forward but Wass and Gaya. The header is met by Sobrino but he can't score this time!

FINAL THOUGHTS

I really thought we would clinch the win. Even with all these players that are injured/suspended Valencia still managed to make it an even game. Speaking of injuries, Coquelin can now be added to that list. Why is it that every year we rack up this list of injuries?

I like some elements of the first half but it still bugs me that we struggle to score. I thought the whole plan to move away from Marcelino's defensive tactics was so that the team can give more in offense. It seems that the team concedes every game and always scores quite a few goals. The goal Valencia conceded was totally avoidable. 

Gaya almost got red carded and that was too close. If it were to be 4 games in a row where this happened, it would be really really frustrating. Luckily he escaped.

Next game is Saturday, away from home, against Espanyol.

La Liga Matchday #10: CA Osasuna 3 - 1 Valencia CF Match Thread

Following the away trip to France for the Champions League game against Lille, the team returns to Spain for another away game, this time against Osasuna. The reactions from last game were mixed. Some thought the team deserved to win but was unlucky, others felt that Valencia were outplayed.

In La Liga, we can already see some fruits of Celades's labor as we are in quite good form recently. But it's games like today that can take that away. If Valencia don't get a positive result, a convincing win, there will be complaints. Looking at the table though, you would say that this is a close game.

Valencia is 11th in the table with 13 points and Osasuna is 13th with 11 points. Based on that the game looks even. Also, with this being their home ground, they cannot just be dismissed as an easy game.

Osasuna form: LWDLD
Valencia form: DWWDD

LINEUP

Rodrigo finally returns to the squad list following 2 absences due to injury. Some pointed to his absence as an explanation for some poor transitions to attack in recent games. We will see today. Also Gaya who was sorely missed in the past few games should be ready to start. Corriea also retur s to the squad list.

In terms of missing players. Guedes is still recovering from the injury he sudfered during the international break. Kang In misses the game through suspension due to his red card challenge last game. Piccini is still recovering but has moved on to the next stage. Vallejo and Sobrino are out of the squad by technical decision. Mangala is still in his recovery program.

Bench: Cillissen, Diakhaby, Costa, Wass, Coquelin, Ferran, Maxi Gomez

MATCH

14' - GOAL Valencia! 0-1! Carlos Soler passing back and forth with Gameiro using their heads before Soler plays the ball into space ahead of him. Gameiro is persistent, keeps the ball in play and takes out the opposing defender. He sees Rodrigo make a run at the back post and picks him out for an easy tap in.
29' - Red card for Rodrigo. Valencia down to 10 men. An aerial battle between Rodrigo and an opposing player causes both of them to tumble. As Rodrigo hits the ground, he slams down his elbow and hits the defender in the head. Referee deemed it an intentional act of aggression and dismisses him. Second game in a row now Valencia go down to 10 men.
34' - Goal for Osasuna. 1-1. That didn't take long. Jaume did well to save the shot from the edge of the box, but the ball made it's way to the opposing wide player who crossed it back into the box. Oier makes a long run into the box unmarked and heads the ball into the net. Poor defending.
42' - Yellow card for Valencia. Cheryshev will miss the next game due to accumulation of bookings.
48' - Goal for Osasuna. It's 2-1. Another headed goal, this time by Ruben Garcia following a Roberto Torres cross to the back post.
55' - Osasuna's Oier gets booked. Yellow card.
58' - First substitution for Osasuna, Adrian Lopez off, Marc Cardona on.
65' - Celades takes off Cheryshev and brings on Maxi Gomez. It seems he wants to try for an equalizer.
69' - More attacking reinforcements for Valencia, Kondogbia off, Ferran Torres on.
77' - Second change for Osasuna, Roberto Torres off, Castellano on.
80' - It's 3-1. No chance now. Jaume leaves his line to parry a cross, but the ball falls to Estupinan who fires into the top right corner of the net. Jaume got a hand to the shot but couldn't keep it out.
85' - Changes for each team. Avila off, Perez on for Osasuna. For Valencia, Gameiro is taken off for Coquelin. Celades probably wants to see off the match without any more goals conceded. Defensive change.

FINAL THOUGHTS

I missed the game and it seemed like it's a good one to miss. The game started off well. Rodrigo comes back into the lineup from injury and manages to score. Great play between Soler and Gameiro and such persistence from the latter to keep the ball on, take out the defender, and find Rodrigo at the back post. How many of these goals has Gameiro set up in recent games?

Then the red card came and practically killed the game. I've seen a few clips of it and a lot of them show that it was just a casual landing. Only the Bein Sports clip shows an angle that could be interpreted as an intentional act of aggression. The defender clearly made a meal of it, that's for sure. I don't think Rodrigo had ill intent but it's hard to say that it's a clear and obvious error so that VAR could over-rule. It appeared like he was just dropping his elbow on the ground so that he could get up and the defender happened to be in the way.

The equalizer came quickly from Osasuna. They quickly took the lead, 3 minutes into the second half. Despite Celades bringing on Ferran and Maxi Gomez to attempt to salvage something from this game. Osasuna held on and went further ahead 10 minutes from full-time.

It's a game to forget. I would say that Celades needs to address some disciplinary issues within the team. That's 3 red cards over the past 3 games. And they have directly cost us all three games.

Next game is Wednesday against Sevilla. They hold 5th place and lead Valencia by 6 points. Good new is Valencia if finally back at home. Bad news is both Rodrigo and Cheryshev will miss the game due to suspension. It's a good chance to recover. If they manage to remain with all 11 players on the field, they should be able to contest the 3 points.

UEFA Champions League Group Stage: LOSC Lille 1 - 1 Valencia CF Match Thread

We're back to the Champions League for the 3rd game of the group stage. Today's the chance to show that last Champions League matchday against Ajax is all in the past. The team has a chance to play at least to cement their position as 2nd and within distance of 1st.

Valencia sit 2nd in the table at 3 points, tied with Chelsea on points but ahead on head-to-head. Today's opponent, Lille, sit at the very bottom with no points from 2 games.

Valencia come in having taken a point off a tough Atletico Madrid away from home. Lille come in on the back of a 2-1 loss to Toulouse away from home.

Both Valencia and Lille have lose 3-0 to Ajax. Valencia took 3 points off Chelsea in a 1-0 victory while Lille had a tight contest with Chelsea and just managed to lose out with a 2-1 scoreline.

While Lille is in last place, Valencia cannot afford to take the game lightly. Last year's results against Young Boys should be an example of what not to do. It is perhaps the most winnable game on paper in the group though. And, Valencia play Lille in the next matchday as well. This presents an opportunity to really collect points and get ahead while Chelsea and Ajax clash.

LINEUP

The lineup is largely unchanged from last game against Atletico Madrid. Cillissen retains his spot in goal as it seems that Jaume will be the designated keeper for Copa del Rey and Super Cup.

While Gaya has returned to the squad following injury, Jaume Costa starts this match probably as a precaution still. Garay is rested this game with Diakhaby as his replacement. Paulista and Wass complete the defense as usual.

Kondogbia and Coquelin start together once again with Parejo, who was instrumental last game, especially in the second half. Soler who is still being eased into the game after injury starts on the bench. Gameiro gets a start, having come off the bench last game, over Rodrigo who is still out with injury. Cheryshev earns the start yet again with Guedes still out to injury. Maxi Gomez retains his spot as striker.

Celades started last game with a 4-3-3 and did well to adapt to the game and revert to a 4-4-2 when that wasn't working out for him. We saw last game that Maxi Gomez playing as a lone striker was isolated for huge portions of the game. This lineup looks like it could be either formation. If Celades came to the same conclusion about Maxi as we did, it would be a 4-4-2. In attack, this could still transition to a 4-3-3, with Coquelin moving towards the center and Cheryshev joining the attack.

Bench: Jaume, Gaya, Garay, Kang In, Ferran, Soler, Vallejo

MATCH

21' - Jaume Costa fouled by Celik. Yellow card for the Lille player.
41' - VAR check for a penalty following claims that Jaume Costa handled the ball. The ball rolls up his side and to the bottom of his shoulder. VAR rules no penalty. Araujo is booked for dissent against the decision. Yellow card.
46' - Celades brings on Soler for Kondogbia. This makes more sense. Valencia was having trouble getting the ball forward. Soler can do that.
63' - GOAL for Valencia! 0-1! Maxi Gomez with a wonderful through ball to send Gameiro through. He looks up, sees the run of Cheryshev and plays a great ball across to him. Cheryshev controls and fires to the far post, the ball passes through the keeper's hand. One of Valencia's only chances and it's a goal! Great build up and great finish.
65' - Gameiro comes off for Kang In. For Lille, Araujo is take off for Ikone.
71' - Yazici is replaced by Loic Remy.
82' - Diakhaby is booked for time-wasting. Yellow card.
84' - Barely two minutes later and Diakhaby manages to get himself a second yellow. Red card is shown Valencia is down to ten men. Diakhaby received the ball in an advanced position, losses possession and cuts across the Lille forward, taking him out in order to stop the dangerous chance.
86' - Djalo receives a yellow card for a challenge from behind on Maxi Gomez.
87' - Celades sacrifices Cheryshev to bring on Garay to complete the defense and see out this game. Lille go for more offense, taking off defender Djalo (who is also carrying a booking) for midfielder Bamba.
90' - Referee adds 6 minutes of time for stoppages.
90+4' - Yellow card for Maxi Gomez for a push on Andre.
90+5' - Lille goal. 1-1. So close. Two minutes from time and the lead is gone. An aerial ball is headed back into the box, the Lille players beats Garay to it and heads it down to Ikone. Ikone takes out Paulista and Jaume Costa with a slick touch and fires the ball into the roof of the net. Cillissen was well positioned but the ball just went over him.
90+9' - Foul on Maxi Gomez by Lille's Gabriel. Yellow card.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Well, this was exactly what I was speaking about in the preview. Lille played better. With Ajax losing to Chelsea earlier, Valencia could've set up a 3-way tie for first place. Instead Valencia barely showed up, especially in the first half. So many misplaced passes and possession periods wasted. The ball just couldn't get past the final third. This made me think of the impact and role Rodrigo has on our attacking transitions and what a difference it has been in the games without him.

Second half was definitely better especially with the introduction of Soler at half-time. This managed to earn Valencia a good chance, started by Gomez, carried by Gameiro and finished by Cheryshev. It was good at that point and Lille were getting frustrated. You could see them protest every action and every decision. Then, in the span of two minutes, Diakhaby manages to get booked twice and sent off. With 6 minutes of time to play and 6 additional minutes, plus Lille taking off a defender for a midfield player, it was a tense ending. Lille got a goal that left our defense looking the weakest it's been. Watching the goal over, three defenders were on Ikone and he takes them all out with a single move. Cillisen was set up well but was expecting a lower shot and that was not the case.

This was one game where it's hard to find positives other than the goal really. That was the only moment where it felt that the team were switched on.

Next game in the Champions League will also be against Lille, this time at Mestalla. As for the team's next game, it will be this Sunday away to Osasuna.

La Liga Matchday #9: Atlético Madrid 1 - 1 Valencia CF Match Thread

We're back to the league after a two-week international break. This is a huge game, against a tough opponent in a tough stadium. It is arguable whether the team is at the right level/stage to get something from this game. However, this game is a huge opportunity. A good result from this game will show that the team is on the right track. Last time we did it against Atletico and away from home? 9 seasons ago with Unai Emery.

Atlético sit just 3 points above Valencia in the league. A win will put Valencia level. They find themselves at 4th spot while Valencia is at 8th. Atlético are tied for least goals conceded in the league but are struggling in terms of goals scored.

Atlético form: DDWDL
Valencia form: WWDDL

LINEUP

Celades will have to address two things with the squad. First, the psychological effect from a possible Alemany sacking. This is in terms of stability of the club in the eyes of the players. Second, the physical effects from the international break. Which Atlético obviously have to deal with as well.
For Valencia, this will leave the team without both Rodrigo and Guedes. They both scored for their respective national teams but they suffered minor injuries that will leave them out of this game.

On the other hand, Valencia does recover Gameiro, Kondogbia and Carlos Soler, which will be a big boost. Gaya has recovered but not 100% and as such was left out as a precaution, so we can expect Costa to start. Reports also said that Mangala was in some sort of recovery program of some sort, not sure what the issue is. Academy goalkeeper Rivero makes the lineup for the first time as well.

Lineup looks similar to what we have seen in the past few games at least in goal and defense. Kondogbia is immediately restored to the midfield after his recovery. Coquelin retains his spot though. Celades appears to value both of their presence in this physical game against Atletico. We have a 4-3-3 with Coquelin and Kondogbia in front of the defense, Parejo further forward. Cheryshev and Ferran start on either side of Maxi Gomez.

Bench: Jaume, Rivero, Correia, Diakhaby, Soler, KangIn, Vallejo

MATCH

10' - Pretty even game thus far, both sides appear slightly cautious, no clear chances.
14' - Ferran with a decent cross for Kondogbia following a short corner but it's cleared.
15' - Cheryshev with a wonderful cross for Ferran, but Ferran just misses it with his head. Surely would've been a goal.
18' - Chance for Atletico as Diego Costa chests down a cross and set up Saul who fires from outside of the box, but it's just wide.
20' - Joao Felix with a through ball for Morata but it's hit straight at Cillissen.
21' - Atletico shot deflected off of Jaume Costa straight to Diego Costa inside the box. His shot is wide.
27' - Coquelin gives the ball away in midfield and sends Atletico on a dangerous attack led by Morata. He plays the through ball for Diego Costa but the run was mistimed. It's cleared but would've been offside regardless.
28' - Thomas Partey is booked for a challenge from behind on Maxi Gomez. Yellow card.
30' - Thomas with a giveaway at the edge of the box. The ball falls to Cheryshev, who fires a powerful low shot that is saved by Oblak but he spills the ball and has to stop it from going out.
32' - Arias plays in Joao Felix in a wide position. He plays the ball across goal towards Morata but he cannot make contact. Dangerous chance.
34' - Arias's cross is hit towards Cheryshev who shields his face with his arms. VAR reviews and gives a penalty. Unfortunate. Diego Costa steps up to take.
35' -  1-0. Diego Costa slots it past Cillissen. The goalkeeper went the other way.
38' - Cheryshev's misfortune continues with a booking after a challenge on Joao Felix. Yellow card.
44' - Joao Felxi booked for a challenge on Parejo. Yellow card.

HALF-TIME: Valencia has struggled in the majority of that half. Chance after chance for Atletico were kept at bay and then a penalty gets handed to them cheaply. Valencia had a few chances but couldn't capitalize. Rodrigo's absence is showing in offense. Not for goal scoring but as a director to link up play, distribute the ball quickly and making space for Maxi Gomez. Gomez seemed completely isolated this game with the team launching crosses and long ball to attempt to get him into the game but the Atletico managed to control it.

46' - Costa with a decent cross but it's cleared by the Atletico defense. Corner for Valencia. Cleared again by the defense.
48' - KangIn, Soler and Gameiro are seen warming up.
50' - Joao Felix playing a dangerous game with another challenge, this time on Jaume Costa. He is on a booking already.
52' - What a chance. Parejo with a great through ball for Maxi Gomez who draws defenders wide, he sees the run of Cheryshev plays a great ball for him and Cheryshev hits the crossbar. This should've been a goal.
54' - Substitutions for Atletico. Partey off, Lemar on. Hermoso off, Lodi on.
56' - Free kick from Valencia sent by Parejo over everyone and out of play.
57' - Coke with a freekick, picks out Diego Costa wide, who heads it across goal to Jiminez. He couldn't hit the target.
59' - Atletico given a non-existent free kick in a dangerous position for an apparent challenge on Joao Felix from Parejo. Replay shows absolutely no contact. Lemar fires but it's an easy one for Cillissen.
64' - First substitution for Valencia, Kondogbia off, Gameiro on. It's back to a 4-4-2.
67' - Final change for Atletico. Morata off, Llorente on.
70' - Cheryshev plays a cross into outer space. Unusual game from him.
71' - Soler is Celades's second substitution. Ferran Torres is brought off.
73' - Arias with a long run from defense, a slight cut in, and a shot from distance. Hit straight at Cillissen.
76' - Cheryshev with a slick back-heel flick to Costa. Atletico bring him down for a free kick. Parejo plays a strange on to Wass but he cannot strike the ball under pressure from the Atletico defense.
77' - Final change for Valencia, Cheryshev off, KangIn on.
78' - Joao Felix plays a through ball sending Arias through in loads of space. He makes a run into the box, squares the ball but it didn't find any of his teammates.
80' - Joao Felix is limping off the field of play, assisted by the medical team. Atletico down to ten men with no substitutions. Soler is taken down in a dangerous position outside the box.
81' - GOAL! 1-1! Valencia with a free kick and Parejo hits it beautifully. Over the wall and into the top right-corner. Oblak with no chance.
83' - KangIn and Gomez keep the ball in the Atletico box and the latter picks out Parejo and the edge of the box. He fires a great shot at goal but Oblak gets a hand to it. Dangerous. Atletico struggling with a man down.
89' - KangIn gets booked for a challenge on Arias to stop a dangerous attack. Play is waved on as an advantage but referee books with a yellow. VAR reviews and changes the decision to a red card. It's 10 men for both sides now. Studs were up.
90' - Five minutes of added time.

FINAL THOUGHTS

It was a game of many errors. Many chances and many misses. At the end, no goal from open play. Both came from set pieces, one penalty and one free kick.

Some players were not on their game. You can make a strong case that if Cheryshev had a better game there would be no handball and he would've scored that great chance. That alone would've made a difference. Ferran was making sloppy crosses as well and seemed physically drained. There were no bursts of energy on those forward runs either. Coquelin didn't have a good game either. He gave away possession and had some bad passes.

It was great to see Celades acknowledge that his game plan wasn't working and make the suitable adjustments to return to the 4-4-2, under which the team performance improved having initially struggled. The team stepped up even further after Parejo scored that sublime free kick and Felix was taken off due to injury leaving Atletico at 10 men. Valencia tried to press home the advantage and had dangerous chances. it all ended when KangIn made a rash challenge and got sent off, evening the game again.

Soler seems like he's still easing into the game. The passing was there but the energy is something he will bring later on as he gets back into the game.

All that being said, a draw against Atletico at the Wanda Metropolitano is a great result. They are a well established team with a stable system and if you had given Celades a draw before the game he would've taken it.

Hopefully next game we recover Rodrigo, Guedes and Gaya. They will boost this team even more. With full choice, we can see what Celades can do with the full squad and his preferred lineup when all players are available.

Speaking of next game, we return to the Champions League where Valencia travel to France to play Lille. Another away game. Valencia sit 3rd in the group table with 1 win and 1 loss, tied with Chelsea on points. They lead on goal difference though. Last game against Ajax was a night to be forgotten and the team needs to make a comeback. Chelsea and Ajax play each other so Valencia have a chance to go second with a good result.

Further changes in the horizon?

News have emerged on President Murthy travelling to Singapore for a meeting with Peter Lim. This has fed earlier rumours about a possible exit of Sporting Director Mateu Alemany from the club in the near future.

This happens once again at an awkward moment prior to a big game and busy schedule. I certainly hope that the team is focused on the pitch and not distracted by these ongoings, like during the previous international break.

For me, Mateu´s departure would be a huge loss. Even greater than the departure of Marcelino. Mateu has been instrumental in rebuilding the club over the past two years and also a key interlocutor between the owner and the team. He is well regarded across Spain and also a proven negotiator in the transfer deals.

However, ever since the exit of Marcelino and subsequently Pablo Longoria, I am not surprised by this latest development. He would have been perceived to have taken sides with Marcelino, and therefore a clear and obvious target for the owner. He has also been rumoured to speak ill of Celades, which would make it untenable to work together with Celades. The players also appear to have warmed up to Celades. For now, it might be a better move for him to leave and someone new twho can work well with the coach and team. It might be painful in the short term but possibly better in the long term. Essentially, Mateu no longer seem to have any allies in the club. Wherever he goes, he has my respect and I hope he finds another place where he gets to do what he does best.

I am not sure if there are many people out there who can replace Mateu. And I hope the club has a good backup plan, especially with the winter market and also pending renewals of some first team players.

Who will be next? I am not sure there are many who can do as good a job as Mateu. But I feel it has to be someone who has the trust of both the owner and the coach. The main reason for the crisis this summer was the breakdown in communication and trust.

Ultimately, the owner has his views and vision. Many of us might not understand or agree with it but this is the reality. The owner will have his own views. The consolation for me is that no rational businessman will undertake decisions that will ultimately mess up their business. If the owner is indeed driven by profitability, it will hopefully mean that he will invest and support in the business to ensure that it is a successful one.

For now, based on public information, it appears that the team is working well and united with Celades. That is the biggest positive for me. Atletico Madrid in Wanda will be extremely difficult. And we have a busy sequence of difficult games ahead. Team unity will therefore be extremely critical. Personally, I am greatly encouraged by the improved performances over the past few games. There are still some flaws that need to be ironed out, especially our defence. However, we have survived difficult away games including Chelsea and Bilbao. Who knows, maybe another surprise might be in store.

Amunt Valencia!

La Liga Matchday #8: Valencia CF 2 - 1 Deportivo Alavés S.A.D Match Thread

Matchday 8 sees Valencia play at Mestalla against Deportivo Alaves. Valencia had a tough match midweek in the Champions League, in which the result and performance were both far from acceptable. In La Liga though, the last match was an unexpected hope as Valencia secured an away win against well-performing Athletic Bilbao.

This is yet another chance to show resilience by recovering and putting on a good performance at home. Deportivo Alvaes find themselves in a similar position in the table to Valencia. They sit just one point below (8) and four positions below (15th) Valencia. They will surely see this as a chance to overtake Valencia in the league.

Celades has had six games in charge so far. Two wins (Chelsea and Athletic Bilbao), two losses (Barcelona and Ajax) and two draws (Leganes and Getafe). Half of these games were low-scoring affairs, while the other half there were many goals scored and/or conceded. Valencia will be looking to secure their first home win of the season under Celades.

Valencia La Liga form:  WLDDW
Deportivo Alaves La Liga form: DLLLW

LINEUP

The lineup features only one change from the game midweek against Ajax. Guedes returns to the bench and Cheryshev is called back into the lineup.

The defense really need to show the effort today as it was very lacking last game and left a lot to be desired. As for the forward line, the movement and spaces were there last game but the finishing was a let down. As usual, Parejo and Rodrigo are expected to link up play and pick out the key passes.

Bench: Jaume, Diakhaby, Correia, Kang-In, Guedes, Sobrino, Vallejo

MATCH

10' - Rodrigo with a good chance with a header, but hit directly at the keeper.
14' - Yellow card for Valencia, Daniel Wass is booked.
15' - Double booking for Alaves, Garcia and Duarte both shown yellow cards.
21' - Early subsitution for Alaves, Pons comes on for Pina.
25' - One-two between Alaves players at the edge of the box results in a shot that it is just high over the Valencia goal.
26' - 1-0! GOAL for Valencia! Rodrigo receives the ball in midfield from Parejo, he directly thread it through on his first touch to Maxi Gomez, who control well, times his shots, and slots it past the keeper! It's his 4th goal of the season. He is now our top scorer in La Liga.
28' - Alaves try to respond quickly. Coquelin is dispossessed with a challenge leaving him on the ground, the referee waives the play to go on, Alaves play the ball to the right inside the box. The player fires but Paulista blocks the shot with a sliding tackle. Good defending from Paulista. Corner kick Alaves.
30' - Corner is headed wide by the Alaves player. Diakhaby is warming up as a precaution due to concerns about Coquelin following the earlier challenge to him.
33' - Long ball from Garay falls to Ferran who chests it down for Rodrigo out wide, he controls well, plays the ball through to Maxi Gomez who fires at a tight angle to the goal. The keeper can only block, sending the ball back into play, Maxi attempts to regain possession but is taken down. VAR is checking this for a possible penalty after significant delay. Nothing in the challenge, referee waives play on.
38' - Parejo loses the ball dangerously at the edge of the area after being dispossessed from behind, the subsequent cross if fortunately cleared by Garay.
40' - Rodrigo is showing great vision and passing today. Play is going smoothly through him, he picks out passes first time, without wasting time.
42' - Rodrigo with a great chance following a corner. He clashes heads with an Alaves defender, the ball flies up, he chests the ball down and fires, but it's just wide. That needs to be a goal. Rodrigo's face is now really swollen around his right eye from the clash of heads.
45' - Four minutes are added by the referee for stoppages.
45+2' - Great build up by Valencia, smooth passing, a dummy from Rodrigo, he plays it wide, recieves it again, he takes out the defender with a great turn, makes a run forward drawing the defenders. Cheryshev is screaming for the ball having been freed up from his defender and sitting in loads of space. Rodrigo takes on a difficult shot and it's high and wide. Cheryshev is furious, screaming and slamming the ground. Rodrigo yells back.

HALF-TIME: Valencia clearly has the upper edge this game. Alaves is simply chasing the ball and the few chances they had were from mistakes from Valencia rather than skill from Alaves. Maxi Gomez and Rodrigo linked up well to put Valencia into the lead. Rodrigo contributing a lot by dropping back and assisting in build up. He could've had a goal of his own with a header in the early parts of the half. In the final few minutes, he was brilliant in build up with a dummy and a turn that set up a great chance but he got too selfish and didn't pick out Cheryshev who would've surely been through on goal and possible scored. He was absolutely furious.

47' - Valencia frequently opting for the long-ball. They draw out the Alaves players by passing across and then play a long ball into space for the forwards and wide midfielders to run into. Ferran is picked out with such a long-ball, and has to be brought down after he gets away from the defender. Parejo's free kick misses everyone.
48' - Free kick for Alaves on the other side. Garcia makes contact but Cillissen saves.
52' - Alaves with increasing chances. A through ball takes out Wass and the shot is fired from a tight angle, but saved by Cillissen.
55' - Valencia having trouble clearing the ball. Alaves with a cross from Valencia's left is not dealt with by Wass, Joselu makes contact over Jaume Costa but heads wide. Dangerous chance.
56' - Some of the stadium lights go out, so the play is stopped by referee for a cooling break.
58' - Referee discusses with players if they are okay to proceed with this lighting. After agreeing, play is going to restart. Before it does, Rodrigo is taken off for Vallejo. Looking forward to seeing him play.
70'- Diakhaby comes as the second substitute for Ferran Torres. Formation changes to a 4-3-3 with Diakhaby sitting just behind Coquelin and Parejo, Vallejo going out to the right, Cheryshev on the left with Gomez in the center.
73' - Second change for Alaves, Vidal comes on for Navarro.
75' - Coquelin with impressive strength and perseverance, retaining possession and carrying on forward despite several challenges from Alaves.
78' - Penalty for Valencia! VAR is reviewing. Diakhaby passes to Parejo, who then passes to Cheryshev, who plays a fantastic lob over the defense to find the continuing run of Parejo. He gets into the box and is taken down by the Alaves goalkeeper. VAR confirms the referee's decision! Great build up play and well-earned penalty.
83' - And he scores this time! 2-0 Valencia! Goalkeeper Sivera is booked for the challenge.
84' - Last substitution for Alaves, Ely off, Saniz on.
89' - Alaves get a goal back, it's 2-1. Garay with a clearance that falls directly to an Alaves player at the edge of the box. He squares the ball to Joselu who fires at goal but Cillissen parries. Unfortunately, Perez reacts quickest and scores on the rebound.
90' - Final change for Valencia, Sobrino on for Cheryshev.

FINAL THOUGHTS

It's a good three points and a decent recovery following last game. This win leaves us in 8th and 2 points behind the Champions League spot currently occupied by Atletico Madrid (they have a game to spare).

Valencia dominated huge portions of the game with Rodrigo and Coquelin having a large part to play in that. Valencia took the lead with Maxi Gomez, who made himself the top scorer in La Liga for Valencia, after this goal. Valencia could have scored a few more but some chances were squandered by hitting straight at the keeper, or refusing to pass to a player in space.

Valencia did manage a second goal with a good buildup resulting in a challenge on Parejo in the area. This time, he managed to convert the penalty into a goal. Alaves managed to pull one back in the dying minutes of the game after a failed clearance from the defense.

Finally, Sobrino and Vallejo were preferred substitutions to Guedes, with both coming on. Good win, would've been better as 2-0 no doubt, but a much needed 3 points.

This is the last game before the International break. It's 2 weeks long so the next game will be away to Atletico Madrid on the 19th.

UEFA Champions League Group Stage: Valencia CF 0 - 3 AFC Ajax Match Thread

Here we go! This will surely be an interesting game. The second game of the group stage, at home, against a formidable Ajax side. The last game in the Champions League shocked many. To get a result against Chelsea, away from home in the coach's second game (having lost the first 5-2) was shocking to many. This will be a different challenge. Valencia come into this one on the back of a 1-0 away win to a tough Athletic Bilbao side. The team is starting to find their groove and the differences in coaching style are starting to emerge but what doesn't change is that Valencia need a top performance to beat this Ajax side. Maybe even more than that against Bilbao. Both teams come in with a win in their previous Champions League game.

LINEUP

We were promised rotations every game and here we have another case of that. Cillissen remains unchanged in goal after a great performance against Bilbao. With Garay returning from injury, Diakhaby loses his spot in the lineup while Paulista and Costa appear again.

In midfield, one change. Guedes returns after spending two games on the bench. Hopefully, he will return determined and focused on earning back his spot in the team. Ferran joins him in the lineup on the opposite side, with Parejo and Coquelin in between. Maxi Gomez and Rodrigo are the forwards, with Gameiro still injured. Sobrino and Vallejo who got debuts last time, appear again as substitute options.

Bench: Jaume, Correia, Diakhaby, Cheryshev, KangIn, Sobrino, Vallejo

MATCH

8' - 0-1! Goal for Ajax from distance. Ziyech wasn't closed down and fired across the face of goal from the left-side and Cillissen couldn't save.
12' - Yellow card Ajax's Veltman for a challenge on Guedes.
25' - Penalty for Valencia, Guedes was fouled after a good build up. Parejo fires the ball into the sky missing. Valencia needed that goal.
27' - Yellow card for Tagliafico for obstructing Ferran Torres.
32' - Rodrigo with a great touch over the defender to set up a 2 vs 2, him and Maxi Gomez against the Ajax defenders. Maxi carries the ball forward and Rodrigo makes a run, but Maxi takes it too far and the cross is gathered by the keeper.
33' - 0-2 Ajax. The opposition build up play from the right with quick passing. The ball is pulled back for Quincy Promes who was left in tons of space as Wass was ball-watching and not tracking his man.
38' - Ferran Torres with a delightful cross to Rodrigo! He makes contact but hits the post. That should've been a goal, it was a simple tap-in, the team cannot afford to miss those.
41' - Ziyech fires from the edge of the box and hits the post. That was dangerous. Why does he always have the space. He's done these shots even last season, it should have been discussed to mark him more closely.
45+1' - Yellow card for Jaume Costa for a challenge on Tadic

HALF-TIME: Valencia had the lower possession of the ball for the first 20 minutes but had the majority 61-39 by the time the first half finished. Yet still, Ajax lead and they have outplayed Valencia quite frankly. The defense is looking really questionable. The forwards seem really selfish in the final third and often choosing the wrong option of shooting versus a great pass. That, or they take too many touches. The penalty decision was correct but the miss was horrendous. The shot needs to be on target at the very least and force the keeper to make a save. That was unacceptable.

46'- Corner for Valencia taken by Parejo. The ball finds its way to Ferran who shoots from the edge of the box, the ball deflects but the keeper makes a reflex save. That was close to a goal.
57' - Maxi Gomez taken off to be replaced by Kang-In.
60' - Yellow card for Martinez after he trips up Rodrigo on the edge of the box. The free kick is blocked by the Ajax wall.
62' - The opposition goalkeeper Onana is booked for wasting time. Yellow card.
66' - It got worse, 0-3. Very quick passing from Ajax and the defense might as well not have been there. Costa leaves his man in space, he picks out a pass to Tadic who delvers a through ball that takes out all four defenders who were holding a line. Van de Beek is left in space and he drives a low shot across goal into the opposite corner. There is no coming back from this. We're getting outplayed.
69' - Ziyech draws in the entire defense, giving Van de Beek space on the right to run into. He gets picked out and tries to chip the ball over Cillissen into the goal but the ball is headed clear off the line by Garay.
70' - Substitution for Valencia, Coquelin off, Correia on. Wass replaces Coquelin midfield while Correia takes his spot in right-back.
72' - Yellow card for Kang-In as he trips up Alvarez.
76' - Yellow card for garay as he pushes de Beek from behind. Free-kick. Ferran Torres is taken off for Cheryshev to come on.
81' - Yellow card for Promes for wasting time. Neres comes on for Promes.
82' - Yellow card for Blind as he trips up Rodrigo.
85' - Ziyech is replaced by Huntelaar.
86' - A cross from Ajax is headed clear to the edge of the area where Martinez claims it. He fires quickly with a powerful low shot. Cillissen gets a touch and the ball bounces off his glove hits the post and away towards the corner flag. Another close call.
88' - de Beek is replaced by de Jong.

FINAL THOUGHTS

I expected this to be challenging but not like this. All this talk of Ajax losing their best players meant nothing. They still dominated and look sharp as they did last season. Valencia got outplayed. Not to say they didn't get their chances. There were chances from Parejo's penalty, Rodrigo hitting the post, and Ferran's deflected shot. If Valencia had equalized from the penalty the tide of the game could've turned. There is no way to know for sure.

On top of the 3 goals, Ajax had several chances to make this score even more embarrassing for Valencia. The defense had taken the day off and Ajax were happy to exploit that. They were shooting from distance at every chance they got and hitting the target well. They weren't closed down. They also broke down the defense with sharp, quick passing. Cillissen looked shaky against his old team.

There seems to be this weird dynamic between Guedes and Rodrigo. In the final third, none of them looks to pick out the other. They would rather take the shot themselves or retain possession with unproductive touches. Even Maxi Gomez only squared the ball to Rodrigo in the 32 minute, after the chance had already gone.

It's interesting that both Barcelona and Ajax, who are cut from the same cloth in football philosophy, have beat us by this margin. You'd expect this from Barcelona but I don't think anyone predicted this scoreline today from Ajax. They did beat Real Madrid 1-4 at the Bernabeu, so they are capable and the fact is the performance did not respect the level of the Ajax team.

That being said, there were positive performances especially from the dynamic youngsters Ferran and Kang-In. They were always positive, moving the ball forward and creating chances. Rodrigo was good in build-up play and passing but his finishing let Valencia down when they really needed a goal. Paulista had a couple of good tackles that saved some blushes and those are recognized in a night where the defense wasn't at it's best.

Looking forward to next game, Valencia is at home again against Deportivo Alaves on Saturday. The last game before the International Break. It's the team's chance to end with a positive note. Some players will get a change of atmosphere with their national teams while others will have sessions with Celades to work on in depth. I believe Gaya and Gameiro will be back after the break. Also, Soler may be available then as well.

La Liga Matchday #7: Athletic Bilbao 0 - 1 Valencia CF Match Thread

Another tough game. Seems like that's the word best used to describe our previous games as well as games going forward. This one is tough for the struggle the team has had, the game being played away and playing against the 3rd place team in the league.

Last game proved Valencia had fire power, scoring 3 goals in 10 minutes. But it also presented one of the worst version of defense that we've seen. The team allowed Getafe to catch up and draw the game. There was controversy with regards to two VAR decisions against Valencia but the blame cannot be shifted solely to that.

Athletic Bilbao form: DWDWD
Valencia form: LWLDD

LINEUP

Bad news is Gaya, Kondogbia and Gameiro are out with injuries, joining Carlos Soler and Piccini although not as long-term. Thierry Correia is also in the squad list after debuting last game. Vallejo and Sobrino both make the squad list for the first time, making Mangala the only player not to be called up yet.

Valencia start with a 4-4-2, with more rotations this game. Cillisssen in goal, Diakhaby and Costa retain their spots. Correia is replaced with Wass after debuting last game but is available on the bench. Garay returns to the defense and Paulista is rested. In midfield, Parejo and Coquelin are unchanged with Cheryshev and Ferran on either side. Guedes is on the bench again. Forward line is the same as the one that played most of last game with Rodrigo and Maxi Gomez.

Bench: Jaume,Correia, Paulista, Guedes, Vallejo, KangIn, Sobrino

MATCH

4' - Wass with a cross from an advanced position in midfield. It finds Maxi Gomez who aims for the top corner and the ball is high and wide.
8' - Cheryshev with a cross from the left for Rodrigo but cleared for a corner by Athletic Bilbao.
9' - Rodrigo finds Maxi Gomez at a tight angle to goal, he fires across the goal anyway, but narrowly misses.
12' - Chances are heavily Valencia's so far. The passing combinations are noticeably different from Marcelino's Valencia. Wide midfielders are providing early crosses from various positions, quickly to the forward line.
14-18' - Valencia keeping the ball in the Athletic half, with a free kick and two corners resulting from it. Athletic struggling to clear.
20' - Cheryshev with a rough challenge in the Valencia half. Yellow card.
24' - Wass having a good game so far. Sharp and aware in defense, with well-time forward runs and crosses.
26' - GOAL Valencia! 0-1! Cheryshev scores! What a counterattack! 5 passes to cross the length of the field. Maxi plays a great through ball for Ferran to run on to, who then squares the ball across goal for Cheryshev to tap in. Costa clearance to Parejo to Rodrigo to Maxi to Ferran to Cheryshev all very quick, no slowing down. VAR checking for offside on the pass to Maxi Gomez...The goal stands. The Bilbao defender's arm played him on.
33' - Rodrigo gets a yellow card after a challenge in the Bilbao half.
35' - Williams with a run forward taking it all the way towards goal but pressured to remain wide by Garay. He still manages a shot and Cillissen parries for a corner. Corner is cleared after a foul.
36' - Rodrigo playing a dangerous game with another foul. We cannot afford a red card.
43' - Parejo clears with header, Bilbao player falls down with some claims of penalty that are dismissed by the referee quickly.
45' - Two minutes added. Increasing pressure from Athletic in the closing minutes of the half but well-dealt with by the defense.

Half-time: Valencia having the upper edge in scoreline and chances despite this being a tough away game. Athletic had a few chances but they were dealt with well and they look quite average. A swift counterattack gives Valencia the goal via Cheryshev. It's important we keep up the offense and defense in the second half. Hopefully, we can extend the goal lead to 2.

46' - Second half starts with bad news. Garay injured, and Paulista has to come-on during the break. This could force Celades to use Mangala, at least as a substitute option, should this injury be long-term. Hopefully, not. Diakhaby booked for a challenge on the edge of the box resulting in dangerous free kick. It's blasted high by Bilbao.
48' - Bilbao with an inward curling cross, Cillissen anticipates and claims the ball. Wass giving his man too much space.
50' - Athletic Bilbao get their first yellow card for Unai Lopez.
51' - Rodrigo with a through ball for Maxi Gomez, he fires at goal but the keeper parries for a corner.
54' - Cillissen with two quick consecutive saves to maintain the lead after a defensive mistake from Costa.
59' - Cillissen with two more saves, one to parry a cross and then to stop a shot resulting from that.
61' - Athletic Bilbao brings on former Valencia player Aduriz and Benat for Ibai Gomez and Unai Lopez. Dangerous players coming on.
63' - Heavy challenge on Ferran Torres at the edge of the box from behind leaves him rolling in pain. The defender didn't get the ball but play goes on. Referee gives nothing.
65' - Cillissen owning his penalty box, punching a corner away to safety. Bilbao applying increasing pressure.
66' - Williams with another run and a shot across goal but it's wide.
68' - Manu Vallejo is making his Valencia debut! Maxi Gomez will be replaced.
72' - Manu Vallejo makes a fantastic run after a pass from Ferran out wide. He runs past 3 defenders and plays a delightful through ball for Cheryshev who hits it right at the keeper.
77' - Raul Garcia runs over Paulista with a jumping header. Aduriz protests and gets a yellow card.
82' - Long cross towards Raul Garcia, cleared by Paulista.
83' - Athletic take off Capa and bring on Lekue.
85' - Cillissen with a great performance today. Everything in the box is under his control, very proactive play to intercept crosses and through balls.
86' - Final substitution for Valencia: Sobrino comes on for Cheryshev. Another player debuting this season.
88' - Free kick from Bilbao following a soft challenge from Sobrino, is headed wide by Raul Garcia
89' - Cillissen shown a yellow card for time wasting.
90' - Bilbao playing with 10 men as a player is stretchered off. They have used up all their substitutions already. 5 minutes of additional time.
90+1' - Sobrino with a through ball for Rodrigo putting him through on goal, but he misses.
90+3' - Valencia almost get their second. Sobrino carries the ball forward, takes out a defender, takes a shot but it's saved. The rebound is gathered by Vallejo who who finds Rodrigo but it's saved again.
90+5' - Yellow card for Rodrigo. Referee ends the game. Second win!

FINAL THOUGHTS

A deserved win after the effort put out by the team today. It was a tough away game, against a rival, the 3rd place team in the league, and despite all the struggles the team pull out a good performance. Athletic looked average compared to their usual performances. They struggled in the first half, rallied back in the second but couldn't equalize.

Stand out performance was Cillissen for me. Everything remotely in his direction was handled well and under control. Other than that the win itself was a team effort. Great link up play and transitions. Mostly solid at the back and brave going forward. Rarely did the play slow down when moving the ball forward. The passing was smooth and accurate. The 5 passes leading up to the goal were a great example of that. Brilliant squared ball by Ferran for Cheryshev to find the goal.

Debuts for both Sobrino and Vallejo were granted by Celades, even with Guedes and KangIn on the bench. It was nice to include them but no doubt Guedes will feel hard done by that decision. The few times they touched the ball, there was danger especially with Vallejo but hardly enough to judge them. They had few touches and barely enough time.

Next game is a home game, as the Champions League fixtures return. Valencia welcome Ajax to the Mestalla in a highly contested game. I am very much looking forward to it. Amunt!

La Liga Matchday #6: Valencia CF 3 - 3 Getafe CF Match Thread

Game 6 of the season and we head into it sitting 14th in the table. Our opponents are one point and two positions ahead of us. This game has turned into a heated contest in recent times and it might very well go the same way today. 

There were glimpses of hope last game against bottom-table Leganes but it was also disappointing for huge portions of the game. Nobody wants to settle for a draw, especially at home, and even more so against the bottom-table team. It's still a work-in-progress and there are signs of change and this game is one step towards that. Celades's fourth game will be a challenge based on previous matches against Getafe and the goal should be a win. We need to start picking up more points to catch up to our rivals and staying in the race for the Champions League.

Valencia face two former players in Jason and Maksimovic on the opposing lineup.

Valencia CF La Liga form: DLWLD

Getafe CF La Liga form: LDDDW

LINEUP

Interesting changes in today's lineup. Celades has said that he has made rotations every game so far, and this one is no exception. It's expected since he's still looking for the ideal starting 11 to implement his vision of the team. Of course, players also need rest in a heavy schedule.

Domenech gets his first start ahead of Cillissen who has started to settle into the team. In defense, new signing Thierry Correia gets his first start in right-back ahead of Wass. After last game when asked about him, Celades said he needed more time to settle into a huge team like Valencia. It's his chance to make a good impression in front of the home crowd. Paulista retains his spot, Diakhaby starts over Garay and Jaume Costa is the left-back of choice with Gaya injured.

In midfield, Parejo starts alongside Kondogbia and Coquelin. Parejo needs to step up and provide better delivery than what he did in the second-half of last game. Kang In is the last of the midfield. The forward line consists of Rodrigo and Gameiro.

Rodrigo has said last game that they played 4-4-2 in defense and 4-4-3 in offense. This could could be the case again today.

Bench: Cillissen, Garay, Wass, Ferran, Cheryshev, Guedes, Maxi Gomez

MATCH

1' - It's disappointing that we had to concede this early. 0-1. Getafe score with a string of passes following a corner. Jaime Mata was on the edge of offside but goal stands. Kondogbia was his marker.
10' - Early substitution as Gameiro is forced off through injury. Maxi Gomez comes on.
13' - Foul on Rodrigo, yellow card for Nyom.
18' - Close call as Jaume makes a tackle to stop a dangerous play, player remained on his feet.
29' - GOAL! It's 1-1! Stunning goal from Maxi Gomez! It started with great dribbling from Parejo who then picked out Kondogiba, and then found Kang In out wide. He delivered a cross which hit a Getafe player and flew into the air. Maxi Gomez hit a brilliant bicycle kick which hit the post and went in.
31' - Yellow card for Maxi Gomez after a heavy challenge from behind on a Getafe player.
33' - Correia linking up well with Rodrigo and holds the defender away for a corner.
34' - GOAL!! 2-1! and it's Maxi Gomez again! Parejo playing a one-two with Kang In from the corner and the captain delivers a beautiful cross which is headed in by Maxi Gomez for his 3rd goal of the season! Nice comeback!
38' - WOW, it's 3-1! Kang In scores! Rodrigo with a great fake-out on the right wing which took him past the defender. He ran alongside the goal line and pulled the ball back for a great slot in by KangIn!
41' - Yellow card for Jaime Mata after a challenge on Parejo. Getafe committing so many fouls to try to win the ball back. Kang In and Parejo have been clipped at all game.
43' - Getafe being really aggressive again, free kick Valencia. It's punched away by the keeper.
45' - Two minutes added.
45'+2 - Heavy challenge from Jason on Paulista. Yellow card Getafe. Their third of the match.

HALF-TIME: what a great turn around. The first 10 minutes looked really nervy and tense, especially after the early goal and the injury to Gameiro adding to the list of injured players. Credit to the team for pulling it together after that. A brace from Maxi Gomez after great deliveries from KangIn and Parejo. Awesome that KangIn also gets a goal after a fake-out and a great pull-back from Rodrigo. More of the same in the second half. Getafe being bullies like always and it's good to see them get booked for it. Looking forward to the next 45 minutes.

45' - No changes in lineup from Valencia as the second half starts.
49' - Getafe still out to injure all of our players.
53' - Getafe with a subsitution, Molina off for Angel Rodriguez.
55' - Yellow card for Getafe as Djene hits Maxi Gomez with his studs up.
60' - Getafe substitution. Nyom out, Kenedy in.
66' - 3-2. It had to be him. Valencia player Jason, on loan to Getafe, scores.
68' - 3-3. Getafe equalize. A cross into Angel Rodriguez, who was in loads of space in the penalty area, is headed into the goal. Defense falling apart.
71' - Coquelin taken out by Maksimovic, free kick Valencia. Parejo delivers to Coquelin but its' headed just wide! He was offside regardless.
72' - Substitution for Valencia, Kang In off, Guedes on.
76' - This is ridiculous, every time play starts it stops for a Getafe foul.
80' - Final substitution for Getafe. Jason off,  Portillo on.
82' - Wass for Kondogbia will be the final subsitution, Kondogiba picked up an injury from the abuse he has received from the Getafe players. We can't afford all these injuries.

FINAL THOUGHTS

More points dropped. We had claims for a penalty near the end as well as an offside in the first minute that were really really close. But close doesn't matter, the result still says draw. The team let a 3-1 lead at half-time drop. The defense was in shambles in the second half. We made 3 rotations to our defense from last game, with only Paulista remaining. The two full-backs were being exploited by the opposition. Correia was decent going forward but showed his inexperience in defense and the opposition were aware to target it that side.

This wasn't helped by Getafe playing so rough and using every chance they had to foul our players resulting in interrupts to the flow of the game. They got booked a lot of the time but we walked out with 2 more injuries to Kondogbia and Gameiro today, adding to Gaya, Soler, and Piccini. They got booked some of the time but repeated challenges over and over again, undeterred by bookings.

The optimism lies in the performances from Maxi Gomez, Kang In, Parejo and Rodrigo. Maxi Gomez made turned around the negativity from the Gameiro injury, got in good positions and took his chances well, scoring a stunner that's surely a top contender for goal of the week. This was the kind of performance the fans were waiting for him to put forth. Kang In was dynamic, energetic, mature and had great vision. The experience of Rodrigo and Parejo is a good complement to the energy, talent and potential of the youngsters.

Next game is on Saturday, away against 3rd place Athletic Bilbao, who've had a great start to the season. It will be a tough game for that reason and the fact that it's away from home. If Celades can get a win here, it will do him really well. At this point, we need to start picking up the pace of the season. We can't fall too far behind. The game after that is home to Ajax at Mestalla, so that will be two tough challenges for Celades and the team in a row.

La Liga Matchday #5: Valencia CF 1 - 1 CD Leganes Match Thread

Five game on the season. Last game in La Liga was a big loss but no unexpected. Our next game away to Chelsea was also tough but the team held on and went beyond expected to snatch a win. With 2 big games under his belt, Celades faces a game against Leganes and former Valencia coach Pelligrino. He has to carry the momentum of the win and the trust he's beginning to establish in the team to get another win. Especially at home. While Leganes find themselves at the bottom of the table, we're in no position to take any games for granted as a win.

LINEUP

There were reports that Celades was beginning to experiment with formation. It seems he was practicing a 4-4-2 that transitions to a 4-4-3 in attack. It will be interesting to see how this will be implemented.

Lineup is largely the same from the Chelsea game. The defense 4 maintain their hold on the positions, Coquelin and Kondogbia start together again with Parejo in midfield and Rodrigo gets another start after his goal last game. The two changes are Guedes returning to the lineup instead of Cheryshev and Maxi Gomez earning his first start over Gameiro.

Bench: Jaume, Costa, Diakhaby, Cheryshev, KangIn, Ferran, Gameiro

MATCH

6' - Leganes with a dangerous corner. Their striker breaks free of the defense and left unmarked. He connects but fires straight at Cillissen who smothers the effort easily.

14' - Wass with a cross towards Maxi Gomez but caught by the Leganes goalkeeper.

15' - Leganes return the favor with a similar effort, caught by Cillissen.

17' - PENALTY! Rodrigo takes on 3 defenders, dribbles past them into the box where he is taken down. Great run! Referee checking with VAR.
20' - The penalty is given, Parejo steps up to take it. Fans chanting Parejo!
21' - And he scores! GOAL! 1-0 Valencia! Parejo calmly sends hits the ball into the top of the net. Yellow card also given to the Leganes player for the foul.
23' - Leganes find some space at the edge of the area and Gaya tackles. He gets the ball with one leg but clips the player with the other leg. Yellow card Gaya. Free kick in a dangerous position for Leganes.
24' - Close one! He curls the ball around the wall but hits the post and back into play.
32' - Cooling break
35' - Goal for Leganes, it's 1-1. A lob into the box is not cleared by the defense. The ball falls to Garay who is dispossessed in the box and the ball finds its way to a Leganes player who slots it past Cillissen at the near post. Referee reviews the initial challenge on Garay but the goal stands. Cheap goal to throw away the lead.
40' - Rodrigo is taken out on the flank with a heavy shoulder check from a Leganes player. Yellow card given by the referee.
41' - Parejo with another training ground routine. He squares the ball to Coquelin at the edge of the box in space. He fires but the ball is blocked by the defense and deflects for another corner.
42' - The corner is fired towards the near post, headed away by the Leganes player and the ball is played to Garay on the opposite side. He fires but misses the goal.
45' - Five minutes are added for all the stoppages and VAR checks.
45+2' - Two attacks in a row for Valencia that had good build up but the crucial pass is over-hit away from the Valencia player both times.
45+3' - Effort from Rodrigo after good build up between Wass and Parejo. He cuts inside and curls a ball towards the far post but saved by the keeper.
45+4' - Coquelin fires from distance but sent into the stands.

Half time and can't say that we dominated the half. The possession slightly favors us but Leganes had more dangerous chances. The team is largely playing a 4-4-3 in attacking play with Rodrigo and Guedes on either side of Maxi Gomez. Rodrigo and Parejo are largely dictating the play. Guedes hasn't seemed that prominent in his return. Hopefully, the half-time talk addresses some of the issues, especially the defensive errors that lead to the goal.

47' - Guedes plays a one-two with Gaya out wide. He makes a run inside beating one defender, then another. He gets into the box fires at the near post but wide. That's the Guedes we want to see. More of this please. The finish will come eventually.
51' - Free kick won by Parejo and taken by him. He fires into the wall and wins a corner from the deflection. Corner causes no trouble and is cleared quickly.
54' - Kondogbia with a wonderful diagonal ball to pick out Gaya in space out wide. He squares it to Maxi Gomez but the defender does just enough to deny him the space for a shot on goal.
55' - Gaya takes a knock. He prepares to leave almost immediately and the medical staff spend no time in taking him off, as if he had prior concerns. Costa is brought on as the first substitution.
58' - Kondogbia is booked after using his arm to shrug away a challenge from a Leganes player.
59' - Second substitution for Valencia. Maxi Gomez off, KangIn on. Maxi hasn't had that many efforts and wasn't that involved. Rodrigo takes his spot up front.
65' - Parejo plays the ball to Costa in space, he crosses the ball but it's blocked for a corner. Corner hit too close to the goalkeeper.
66' - Valencia have dominated possession in the second half but nothing to show for it. This needs to translate to more clear chances and goals..
69' - The set pieces are getting frustrating now. They are either over-hit out of play or towards the keeper. These are wasted efforts. We need more technique on the delivery.
76' - Cooling break. The ball delivery hasn't improved and many efforts are wasted or give possession back easily.
80' - Kondogbia with a challenge on the edge of the area. Free kick for Leganes in a dangerous position. Hit right at the wall and deflected away.
82' - Guedes taken out at the edge of the area and free kick is given for Valencia.
83' - Ferran Torres comes on for Coquelin. Celades showing the attacking intent with this substitution. He wants the win.
84' - Parejo hits the target, the keeper parries, the ball falls to Garay who fires into a defender. Claims of handball but VAR gives nothing.
85' - Corner is taken, Ferran raises his foot too high to get the ball and fouls. Instant yellow card.
86' - Parejo plays a delightful through ball for Ferran Torres on the right. He goes past his defender and through on goal, he decides to play the ball to Rodrigo instead of shooting. Rodrigo misses the ball. Perhaps he should've gone for the shot instead.
87' - Guedes taken out yet again. Yellow card for Leganes. Free kick from distance.
88' - The ball is delivered well to Rodrigo, who nods the ball over the goal.
89' - Ferran Torres goes on a great run past his defender but taken out by Leganes defenders. Leganes trying to cling on and delay every action to slow play down and run the clock down.
90' - Six minutes added by the referee.
90+1' - Paulista with a foul on the Leganes forward in another threatening position. Free kick Leganes.
90+3' - Many stoppages due to rough challenges. Time is running out.
90'+4 '- Kang In with a good cross but punched away by the keeper
90+5' - Another over hit cross this time from Costa, out of play for a goal kick.
90+6' - Leganes with a quick counter after Guedes was dispossessed. It was 3 on 3 but the ball is parried by Cillissen for a corner.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Second draw of the season. We stand with 1 win, 2 draws and 2 losses now, giving us 5 points from 5 games. Some interesting build-up and a few sparks of creativity but overall it should've been better. First half was a lot more equal between teams. Second half we had complete dominance for the first 30-40 minutes. However, all the possession failed to materialize and impact the scoreline. Many wasted set-pieces and crosses due to poor delivery. It was quite frustrating and perhaps better delivery would have produced something else. As we went for the win in the closing minutes, Leganes had a few counter attacks and took advantage of the errors.

Rodrigo has confirmed in the post-game interview that the formation is a 4-4-2 defensively and a 4-3-3 offensively, as was reported in the news. There were 4 days to work on this between the Chelsea game and today, so probably it's far from perfect and from Celades's vision. He's still only 3 games in but many would still expect a win, especially at home and against the team at the bottom of the table.

Next game is mid-week on Wednesday against Getafe at Mestalla. This game is always rough with plenty of aggression, especially in recent times. There has been a lot of disputes on and off the field between players and even the coaches involved. Hopefully, the team continues growing and we see more evolution against Getafe. It was great to see the crowd fully behind the team today. It will definitely help to have the same against Getafe.

UEFA Champions League Group Stage: Chelsea FC 0 - 1 Valencia CF Match Thread

Here we go, first game of the Champions League and it could be a tough one. We come into this game on the back of a heavy 5-2 loss to Barcelona, even missing a lot of their key players. Chelsea come in on the back of a 5-2 win against Wolverhampton. Their side has been inconsistent this season, as have we. We have 4 points from 4 games and they have 8 points from 5 games.

LINEUP

The coach has said that he hasn't had much time to work on something new and is going with what is familiar to the players. Again, the Valencia website release only the starting 11 with not formation given. In terms of Chelsea's lineup, Rudiger and Kante notably misses the game with injury.

The defense and goalkeeper remain untouched, it's the same 5 that played against Barcelona. In midfield, we have both Kondogbia and Coquelin alongside Parejo and Cheryshev. Rodrigo and Gameiro start in front. It appears that Cheryshev has been preferred over Guedes for this game. He did assist a goal in the short time he was on in the previous game against Barcelona. I'm sure though a lot of people would want Guedes to start. Maybe he will be brought on later to play against players with tired legs.

As for formation, It's probably 4-4-2 where Coquelin plays on the right. He does have experience against Premier League sides so it come in handy. Paulista does as well. It could also be a different formation in a 4-3-3 or a 4-2-1-2 but if the coach is sticking to what players are familiar with, this not likely.

Bench: Jaume, Costa, Diakhaby, KangIn, Ferran, Guedes, Maxi Gomez

MATCH

2' - Valencia pressing pretty high up early on. Chelsea using long balls to exploit space left by our full-backs.
5' - Chance for Chelsea from the right. Build up play results in a pull-back in the box but it is cleared for a corner.
6' - Corner is headed towards goal by Chelsea but Cillissen saves.
7' - Wass makes a mess of a cross from the opposite end and it falls to a Chelsea player but cleared by Kondogbia who reacted quickly and took a knock. He got up and seems okay.
8' - Coquelin follows through on a pass and caught on Mount Yellow card.
13' - Parejo dispossessed in midfield in his own half. Kovavic runs with the ball towards goal but is stopped by a good tackle from Paulista.
15' - Mount leaves the field with an injury carried on from Coquelin's tackle earlier. Pedro comes on as a replacement.
20' - Parejo lobs the ball over the Chelsea defense to pick out the run of Gaya who heads it straight at the keeper. Assistant referee calls offside.
21' - Cheryshev picks out Gameiro with a through ball but he has no support in the box. He holds it up well before getting dispossessed,
22' - Corner from Chelsea cleared by Wass, whose block resulted in a corner in the first place.
25' - Great run from Rodrigo, on the right picked out by Parejo. Rodrigo carries it forward play it towards Parejo who picks out Coquelin but is stopped by the Chelsea defense.
26' - Quick counter from Chelsea results in a header from Abraham, saved by Cillissen.
28' - Rodrigo picks out Gameiro with a great lob, he takes a bad touch taking him away from goal and making the angle more difficult. He gets pushed off the ball by the Chelsea defender.
29' - Rodrigo is playing brilliantly, build the link that builds up every play. He plays several one twos with his team before taking a shot which is blocked by Gameiro standing in the way and the rebound is sent flying by Wass.
32' - Rodrigo again with great movement and link up and his through ball almost lets Cheryshev in on goal.
33' - Jorginho tackles Kondogbia late and gets booked. Yellow card.
34' - Willian charges at our defense past Parejo, then Kondogbia and Coquelin. His shot narrowly misses the post.
40' - Kovacic picks out Willian in space in the box but under pressure from Paulista, he cannot hit the target.
45' - Increasing pressure from Chelsea in the last 5 minutes of the game. Willian being the main culprit. Some positives to take away from the first half. It's much better than the performance last game. They struggled to get the few chances they had. They had to resort to long balls and crosses since there is no space. Rodrigo and Paulista are playing a fantastic game. Rodrigo has a free-role and everything goes through him in build up. Paulista has shut out a few very dangerous balls. Kondogbia has also had some good challenges but sometimes gets beaten easily. Look forward to the second half.

SECOND HALF

49' - Cheryshev with a shot from distance but lacking the power or accuracy to trouble the goalkeeper.
55' - Increasing pressure from Valencia over the past 2-3 minutes, trapping Chelsea in their own box. Wass draws a free kick on the right. To be taken by Parejo. It is cleared for a corner.
56' - Parejo plays the ball low to Gameiro who had made a run back towards the edge of the box and was in loads of space. Unfortunately, the training ground routine did not hit the target.
60' - Great through ball from Rodrigo deep in midfield towards Gaya but he had stopped his run too short and the ball goes out of play.
61' - Gaya with a challenge to stop Willian in an advanced position. Free kick Chelsea.
62' - Alonso curls the ball around the ball to the bottom-left corner of the goal, amazing save by Cillissen.
65' - Lob from Kondogbia to pick out Rodrigo in space out wide, who gets pressured off the ball for a corner. Wass sends the effort resulting from the corner high.
67' - Chelsea with a chance, Azpilicueta squares the ball across the box but blocked by Paulista. Corner Chelsea. Cleared and eventually ends up with Cillissen, He tries to start a quick counter attack but it is dealt with by Chelsea defenders, pushing Gameiro off the ball.
68' - Chelsea starts a counter in return, Abraham and Willian play a one two but Garay out muscles him off the ball.
69' - Pedro with another chance in the box, looking to bend one around the keeper but it's wide.
70' - Maxi Gomez will be the first substitution for Valencia coming on for Gameiro.
71' - Kondogbia picks out Rodrigo again with a diagonal ball out wide, and again Chelsea resort to a foul to bring him down. Free kick Valencia. Parejo's delivery goes past everyone and out of play.
73' - Chelsea second substitution. Zouma to be replaced by Giroud.
74' - Gaya is fouled after a one-two with Cheryshev, free kick for Valencia in a decent position.
75' - GOAL VALENCIA! 0-1 ! Rodrigo hits the ball into the ground and to the roof of the net after breaking free from the defense. Great delivery frrom Parejo, good finish by Rodrigo. He really deserves it after a great performance.
78' - Effort from Giroud saved easily by Cillissen, hit right at him.
79' - Final substitution form Chelsea: Ross Barkley on for Kovacic
82' - Barkley with a chance from the edge of the box but deflected for a corner. Punched away by Cillissen. Pedro fires the rebound at goal, deflected for another corner.
83' - Chelsea claim a handball following the clearance from a corner. Ball had hit Wass's hand but his arm was in a natural position close to his body, Referee didn't give anything.
85' - VAR asks referee to review the decision. Penalty could be given and it is. Referee overturns his decision after reviewing VAR. Barkley to take.
87' - AND HE MISSES! He hits the crossbar and gone over. The Chelsea players were debating who should take it which is not a good sign. Barkley insisted and then missed. Big chance gone!
89' - Yellow card for Giroud after a challenge on Paulista. Substitution for Valencia, Rodrigo off for KangIn.
90' - Added time is four minutes, Diakhaby getting ready to come on.
90+1' - Maxi Gomez gets taken down, foul stops play. Diakhaby comes on for Cheryshev to shore up the defense in the final few minutes.
90+3' - Gaya fouls Pedro for a free kick. Final minute! Alonso curls one towards the near post but Cillissen parries, great performance from the goalkeeper.  Resulting corner creates another chance but Christensen sends the header wide.

The game is over! Valencia CF have done it! The first game for Celades in the Champions League and he gets a win against the Europa League Champions and away from home.

FINAL THOUGHTS

The team stepped up today. Despite all that happened, they decided to actually give it a go. Celades will really appreciate this performance. This will help him build trust with the players. He looked really nervous before and during the game but he will breathe a huge sigh of relief. It was a tough game and we could've gone down on many occasions. The penalty towards the end was a great scare but thankfully they didn't score. A draw would've still been amazing given the state of the club, but a win could do wonders. Great performances from Rodrigo, Paulista and Cillissen.

Elsewhere in the group, Ajax beat Lille 3-0, putting them on top of the group, tied with us on points but ahead on goal difference. We face them next in the Champions League.

Next game is at Mestalla against Leganes on Sunday. It's a chance to continue building momentum. We were discussing that this Leganes games would be the start of building momentum, but today's game got us a head start on that. It will be interesting to see the reaction of the fans since it will be the first home game after the incident with Marcelino.