Valencia v Getafe

With Halloween just around the corner, the paranormal trickery that this time of year brings with it must be playing on the psyche of Luis García Plaza, more than anyone. Reading the sports press lately must feel like a grotesquely lucid dream for the current Getafe boss.

Levante, the club he was in charge of for three seasons and not only helped in gain promotion to La Liga with, but also managed to keep up (despite having the tightest budget in the division), sits puzzlingly, yet deservedly, at the summit of the table, after nine games. Above flipping Barca and Real!

The Madrileño returned to the familiar city of Valencia today, but not to his old stomping ground, the Ciutat de València (he’ll have to wait until late January for that). Today his new side was in town to face Valencia, the traditionally higher ranked local club, in the Mestalla. Last time here, his Levante side took a valuable point from their bitter rivals, however salvaging something from “El Che” would prove too difficult for his side today.

Sofiane Feghouli will no doubt take much of the credit for the home team’s victory, finally breaking his goal duct for the club since moving from Grenoble. Scoring not once, but twice. Everything he touched during the first half turned to gold. Éver Bandega in the middle of the park was also instrumental for Valencia, stringing passes together effortlessly from start to finish and controlling the pace of the game superbly. This will have pleased his coach, Emery no end, as Sergio Canales’ injury is certain to be causing him some real selection head aches at present.

The first half made for some gripping viewing. Feghouli set the score board alight early on when a blocked Jonas shot came his way just outside the box, which he dispatched beautifully, driving the ball into the turf for it to loop exquisitely into the roof of Miguel Torres’ net.

But by no means did Luis García’s men sit back and allow their hosts to dictate the game. The likes of Barrada and Valera caused problems for the home side in the first half, while Güiza (having himself broken his own scoring duct against Osasuna midweek) looks like he is finally readjusting to the pace of La Liga. The veteran set Diego Castro up coolly with a cushioned header across goal to equalise, after a nicely worked Getafe move. However, their celebrations were short lived, as Feghouli wasted no time in regaining the lead, with a simple finish from close range.

Half time saw the teams enter their dressing rooms with the score reading 2-1 to Valencia, something “Los Azulones” could feel hard done by, having matched their opposition for chances on goal and having played positively all round. 

The second half played out much like the first, with both sides creating some half decent chances. However, the the home side edged it, thanks in big part to the aforementioned Bandega.

All the same, things could have been different as Valencia were lucky to keep 11 men on the pitch after the first half’s hero, Feghouli, showed his ugly side on more than one occasion: first picking up a yellow for mauling Barrada’s face, then moments later escaped what should have been a straight red for a reckless racking of his studs across the same players shins. Emery, sensibly took him off in case he continued to act so rashly.

With this weeks Champions League encounter with Bayern Leverkusen on his mind, Emery took Soldado off to replace him with Artiz Aduriz who took full advantage of the opportunity by scoring the third,  and effectively killing off the game. Bandega’s pass split the Getafe defence inch perfectly in the 75^th minute, leaving the Basque with just the keeper to beat.

Valencia deservedly finished as the victors, winning 3-1. This performance should boost their confidence going into what is essentially a final against Leverkusen on Tuesday night, as they hope to rescue their European campaign.

Getafe, on the other hand will feel disappointed with the result and will have to dust themselves off before facing Atlético Madrid at home next week in what’s sure to be a heated local derby.

Luis García is probably happy to be leaving Valencia tonight all the same. His decision to leave the city in the first place must play on his mind constantly, as he is continually reminded of his old side’s fairy tale success. The pain of seeing your old team’s name in the number one position must be excruciating when your current one slips perilously close to the bottom.