Valencia came from behind to snap Real Madrid’s 22-game winning streak on Sunday, but fortunately for Los Blancos, title rivals Barcelona failed to take advantage as they lost 1-0 at David Moyes’ Real Sociedad later in the day.
Jordi Alba’s early own-goal was enough to consign Barca to defeat after coach Luis Enrique left Lionel Messi and Neymar on the bench.
Despite their lowly league position — 13th — Sociedad have shown themselves well capable of beating the odds, having now defeated Barca, Real and champions Atletico Madrid at home under three different coaches.
Photo: AFP
Moyes lauded his players’ heroics and said he believes his challenge now is to draw that level of performance from them on a more consistent basis.
“It is the happiest night since I arrived in San Sebastian. We worked very hard. The players showed courage and defended incredibly,” the Scot said.
In Valencia, Cristiano Ronaldo’s first-half penalty looked to have put Real on course to start the new year on the winning run they started up last year, but los Che roared back after the break with goals from Antonio Barragan and Nicolas Otamendi to move above Sevilla into fourth in the standings.
Photo: AFP
It is the first time since April 30, 2011, that both Real and Barca have lost on the same day. The results mean that Los Blancos retain their one-point lead over the Catalan club, with third-placed Atletico having played one game less than the two.
“We had lots of chances. We started badly with an own-goal and that punished us in the end, but we didn’t deserve this result at all,” Barca midfielder Xavi Hernandez said. “We have started the year badly, but we will keep going.”
Real boss Carlo Ancelotti also lamented the chances missed by his side at crucial points in the game at the Estadio Mestalla.
“I don’t think we deserved to lose,” the Italian said. “We just didn’t have the luck to score when we had the chances to make it 2-0, then to go ahead 2-1 and finally at the end when we had many chances to make it 2-2.”
Despite a bright start, Valencia had to come from behind when Alvaro Negredo handled Gareth Bale’s flick on from Toni Kroos’ free-kick and Ronaldo duly stepped up to fire home his 33rd goal of the season from the penalty spot.
The FIFA World Player of the Year should have doubled his tally and his side’s lead 12 minutes later when Bale’s deflected cross fell perfectly into his path, but after rounding Diego Alves, Ronaldo could only turn the ball into the side-netting with the goal gaping.
Valencia also started the second-half in the ascendency as Andre Gomes sent a thunderous volley just wide and were rewarded when Pepe turned a low drive from Barragan past a helpless Iker Casillas.
Bale had a great chance to restore the visitors’ lead when he galloped in behind the Valencia defense seven minutes later, but the Welshman was denied by a fine saving challenge from Otamendi.
Just moments later, the Argentine centerback was the star at the other end of the pitch as he towered above Ramos to power a header high past Casillas.
Real rallied in the final 15 minutes, but could not find an equalizer as Ramos sent a header centimeters wide, before Alves denied Isco with a brilliant save from point-blank range and Otamendi cleared the danger before a visiting player could pounce on the rebound.
Barca boss Enrique’s huge gamble to leave Messi and Neymar among nearly 300 million euros (US$35.8 million) of talent on the bench took fewer than two minutes to backfire in San Sebastian as Alba stretched to reach Sergio Canales’ cross, but could only turn the ball into his own net.
Without their other two South American stars, Luis Suarez ploughed a lonely furrow up front. He was not up to the task, as the visitors’ best two efforts before the break came from Pedro and Canales.
Messi was introduced at the break and Neymar soon followed as Barca improved in the second period, yet they were denied by some dogged defending and even better goalkeeping from Geronomi Rulli as he made two outstanding saves from Suarez in the final five minutes to prevent Barca snatching a point.
Elsewhere on Sunday, RCD Espanyol fell 1-2 to Socidead Deportiva Eibar, while Getafe lost by the same scoreline to fellow Madrid club Rayo Vallecano de Madrid.
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