On Sunday, the last matches of the 18th round of the Spanish "Primera" league were played.
At the "Mestalla" stadium, "Valencia" hosted Madrid's "Real" footballers. In a fierce and intense match, the result ended in a draw.
The match started with pressure from Rafael Benitez's proteges. "Whites" started creating dangerous attacks from the first minute, and in the 16th minute, one of them turned into the first goal. Brilliantly played by BBC led the team in front.
However, after the goal, the Spanish vice champions relaxed a bit and the initiative was taken by the hosts. Right at the end of the first half, they received a "gift" from the opponents when Pepe committed a foul in the goalkeeper's box, and Dani Parejo easily converted the penalty kick.
In the second half, the spectators at the "Mestalla" stadium witnessed a dramatic battle with plenty of opportunities. "Real" came onto the field more aggressively after the first half and pressured the opponents, but in the 68th minute, they were reduced to ten players when Mateo Kovacic received a red card for a foul during a quick counterattack.
Nevertheless, "Real" did not give up after the setback and fought for victory. R. Benitez even substituted Lucas Vazquez before this incident, although Isco and James Rodriguez remained on the bench.
In the 82nd minute, it seemed that "Real" would achieve victory after a tough battle, as Gareth Bale converted a headed penalty by Toni Kroos. There was joy on the bench, but just a minute later, "Valencia" managed to equalize the score and leave even more intrigue at the end of the game.
With the score level again, both teams continued attacking after attack and were not satisfied with a draw. Alvaro Negredo had the ideal opportunity to seal the deal, but the forward could not beat Keylor Navas one-on-one. Immediately after that episode, G. Bale received a fantastic pass from Luka Modric and could score the decisive goal of the match.
"Real" missed a great opportunity to catch up to "Barcelona". With 37 points, the royal club remains in third place, while "Valencia" is in the middle of the standings.
Other matches ended with "Eibar", "Granada", "Villarreal", and "Rayo" - "Real Sociedad", Bilbao "Athletic" - "Las Palmas" finishing in a draw.
Results:
"Valencia" 2 - 2 "Real Madrid" 16' [0 - 1] K. Benzema 45' [1 - 1] D. Parejo (penalty) 82' [1 - 2] G. Bale 83' [2 - 2] P. Alcacer 68' M. Kovacic ("Real") sent off
"Rayo" 2 - 2 "Real Sociedad"
"Real Betis" 0 - 4 "Eibar"
"Granada" 2 - 1 "Sevilla"
"Athletic" 2 - 2 "Las Palmas"
"Deportivo" 1 - 2 "Villarreal"
Standings:
