Bad game at Mestalla. Valencia still hasn’t lost in their fiefdom, where they have accumulated eight games without losing, but they crashed into the wall that Sevilla posed for them. A team very far behind by Quique Sánchez Flores, who lived off of his center backs and goalkeeper Nyland and who proved incapable of creating the slightest danger for a Valencia that deserved more. Sevilla did not shoot between the three posts of Mamardashvili’s goal. The point, however, allows them to distance themselves by seven from the relegation zone. His game, however, was laborious, dense and very boring. Valencia can complain, and rightly so, about a play in which Isaac pushed Foulquier in the area in the 41st minute. It seemed like a penalty to everyone except Soto Grado. Baraja’s team pushed at the start of the second half and it was Nyland who saved Sevilla with a good save against Yaremchuk. The rest was a continuous harassment of the Andalusian team’s area with more intensity than football. An extraordinary number of balls into the Sevilla area well resolved by Quique’s three centre-backs. In that aspect, the Andalusian team delivered. In attack it was horror. The last option for Valencia came in the 84th minute. Peter’s shot went just wide. Europe is still a bit far away for a group with a lot of heart and not too much talent.
0
Mamardashvili, Gayá, Cristhian Ibarguen, Mouctar Diakhaby, Foulquier, Sergi Canos (Peter Federico, min. 63), Pepelu, Hugo Guillamón (Alberto Mari, min. 85), Francisco Martinez (Javi Guerra, min. 72), Yaremchuk (Vazquez Mayor, min. 72) and Hugo Duro
0
Ørjan Haskjold Nyland, Kike Salas, Loic Bade, Sergio Ramos, Oliver Torres (Hannibal Mejbri, 94th minute), Marcos Acuña (Adria Pedrosa, 45th minute), Djibril Sow (Suso, 70th minute), Boubakary Soumare and Jesus Navas (Juan Sanchez , min. 93), Isaac Rosemary and En-Nesyri
Goals
Referee César Soto Grado
Yellow cards Loic Bade (min. 78)
Sevilla leaves satisfied. Better times will come, Quique and his players will think. The toothache that was his match at Mestalla is well worth that point that consolidates his good tendency. He has now gone four games in a row without losing, with a record of two wins and two draws (with two clean sheets in a row).
Valencia and Sevilla lived better times. Little by little, these two classics of Spanish football try to progress and recover the sensations that led them to greatness. Baraja works with a very young group and Quique Sánchez Flores, who made history in Valencia itself, is forming a more solid Sevilla. While some seek Europe and others seek tranquility, equality presided over a somewhat dull match, with little rhythm and very few attacks in attack. Valencia did come more, perhaps encouraged by their people, while Sevilla limited themselves to defending themselves in a very flat first half. The Andalusians were saved by their goal, Nyland, who was quick on a clear chance from Yaremchuk, and by Soto Grado’s interpretation of football. There was a penalty in the 41st minute from Isaac to Foulquier that the referee did not blow. Sevilla was a zero on the left in attack in the first act. He did not make a single shot on the goal defended by Mamardashvili.
Valencia improved at the beginning of the second half. He did not score and Sevilla continued to live off their firmness at the back. Control of the ball was always the home team’s, with no quality to turn their siege into an advantage on the scoreboard. In a match to forget, the goalless draw satisfied Sevilla more, who will now have to visit Madrid next Sunday. Playing like he did in Valencia, he won’t have the slightest option. Valencia, for its part, will continue its fight to get into Europe by visiting a Granada team that is risking it.