Valencia 1-2 Real Madrid: La Liga – as it happened

That’s it for tonight’s blog. I’ll leave you with our European roundup, which includes a first defeat for Jose Mourinho and more goals for Erling Haaland. Goodnight!

90+3 min Camavinga is booked for something or other.

90+2 min Vinicius Jr is booked for something or other, timewasting I think.

90+1 min Five minutes of added time. Valencia’s race is run.

90 min Terry Gibson, superb as ever on La Liga TV, points out that Valencia have been punished for sitting deep for the only time in the game. They pressed so well for 80 minutes, and deserved to be ahead, but they ran out of steam and Real took advantage.

Vinicius, on the left, curled a devastating cross towards the near post, where Benzema got between the centre-backs and knocked the ball past Mamaradashvili with his shoulder. Okay, so the finish was a bit fortunate but the ball in from Vinicius was glorious.

As with Hugo Duro’s goal for Valencia, Real’s equaliser took a decisive deflection. Benzema controlled the ball with his back to goal, just inside the area, and played it invitingly towards Vinicius on the left side of the area. He opened his body to sidefoot a first-time shot that took a big deflection off Foulquier and wrongfooted Mamardashvili. That might, on reflection, go down as an own goal as I’m not sure Vinicius’s shot was on target.

85 min Lucas’s excellent deep cross is headed back across the six-yard line and cleared desperately by Valencia. Then Benzema has a deflected shot booted away.

82 min If it stays like this, Valencia will go top of La Liga for the first time since September 2014 (I think). They were top after one game last season but that doesn’t count, not least because half the teams hadn’t played.

81 min Rodrygo is booked for a late tackle on Lato.

79 min Five substitutions, three for Valencia and two for Madrid.

Valencia Helder Costa, Racic and Marcos Andre replace Guedes, the goalscorer Hugo Duro and Gomez.

Madrid Jovic and Isco replace Hazard and Valverde.

75 min Benzema, 25 yards out, sweeps a curling shot that is confidently held by Mamardashvili.

74 min In other news, Lionel Messi has been subbed on his full league debut for PSG. He’s taken it well.

72 min Real are playing with much greater urgency now. Lucas’s cross from the right is volleyed wide of the far post by Rodrygo. It was a difficult chance, with the ball coming from behind him, and he could only drag it across goal.

68 min Benzema misses an excellent chance! He made it himself with an elegant run into the area but screwed his shot straight at Mamardashvili from 14 yards.

68 min Real make a double change - Rodrygo and Eduardo Camavinga are on for Modric and Casemiro.

Foulquier’s routine cross from the right was inexplicably headed towards his own goal by Lucas. Hugo Duro waited for the ball to bounce and cracked a left-footed shot back across Courtois into the far corner. It took a slight deflection off Eder Militao, but the shot was on target and it’s Hugo Duro’s goal.

62 min This is a really good spell for Real. Hazard’s dainty backheel finds Lucas, who drags a daisycutter straight at Mamardashvili from 20 yards.

60 min Modric wriggles away from a couple of defenders in the area and drives a dangerous cross that is cleared at the far post by Wass. Moments later, Casemiro’s long-range shot bounces awkwardly in front of Mamardashvili, who grabs it at the second attempt. He did pretty well to avoid shovelling it straight out to Benzema, who was following up the play just in case.

58 min Hazard wins a corner for Real. Modric overhits it but Real keep the ball alive until Lucas Vazquez’s long-range shot is comfortably saved on the bounce by Mamardashvili.

57 min Nacho is booked for something or other.

54 min Another storming run from Musah is thwarted on the edge of the area. Duro picks up the loose ball and plays it to Guedes in the area. He eschews the shot and gives it back to Duro, who sidefoots tamely at Courtois. Lovely play from Valencia until the finish.

52 min “Evening Rob,” says Andy Cummings. “That ‘tackle’ by Casemiro is a red in La Liga as well. Nobody here seems to know why it wasn’t given. Also, please stop referring to the ground as ‘the’ Mestalla. It’s just Mestalla (it’s named after the area of Valencia the ground is located in). It’s like referring to the Wembley, or the Anfield, or the Old Trafford.”

Ach, apologies for that. I blame the 1999-2000 season, when it was routinely described as ‘the Mestalla’ on ITV and ONdigital. Either that or I’m an ignorant moron. It could go either way.

50 min: Great chance for Guedes! The substitute Musah charges past Vinicius on the right, moves into the area and picks out Guedes in space on the edge of the area. He whips a first-time shot just over the bar. As close as it was, he should have scored.

47 min At the other end, Vinicius Jr pokes wide from a tight angle.

47 min “I was reading your shirt infomercial from the start of the match,” begins Sarah Rothwell, “simultaneously wondering where you copied and pasted that lot from, and feeling jealous since I just had a match in the blazing September sun this morning and I don’t think anyone on our team would describe our shirts as ‘cool and comfy’ (more like ‘hot and sweaty’). It also doesn’t help that post lockdown they’re a wee bit snugger than they used to be.”

Maybe you need AEROREADY fabric? It’s my firm belief that AEROREADY is powered by moisture wicking fabric that absorbs water super-fast. Feel cool, dry and comfortable, in go-anywhere, do-anything kit.

46 min Peep peep! Valencia begin the second half and almost score within 10 seconds. A routine ball forward was misjudged by Vazquez and reached Hugo Duro, whose shot from a tightish angle was well blocked by Courtois.

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Half-time reading

45+5 min Maxi Gomez whips an excellent free-kick just wide of the left-hand post. I think Courtois had it covered, though I wouldn’t bet my last Rolo on it.

45+5 min Casemiro should also have been booked earlier for pulling back Soler, though I doubt he’d have made the challenge on Gomez had he been on a yellow card.

45+4 min Casemiro is booked for a studs-up tackle on Maxi Gomez, with his follow through taking him into Gomez’s standing leg. He would probably have been sent off for that in England.

45+1 min Maxi Gomez, who has been lively if erratic, smashes over the bar from the edge of the area.

45 min Four minutes of added time.

44 min Real work the ball efficiently from left to right. Eventually Benzema plays in Valverde, whose driven cross is claimed at the second attempt by Mamardashvili.

42 min: Fine save! Guillamon is fouled on the left wing by Casemiro. Wass, whose delivery so far has been poor, wanders over to take it. This time he drops a lovely ball onto the head of Gabriel, whose flicked header is excellently saved by the diving Courtois.

41 min Courtois flies from his line to save bravely at the feet of Guedes, who was played through on goal by Guillamon.

39 min Gabriel is booked for a foul on Vinicius Jr.

38 min At the other end, Musah slaloms dangerously into the area and drives wide of the near post from a tight angle.

37 min Benzema somehow gets away from Alderete near the byline on the right. He plays a one-two with Hazard and drills a left-footed shot that is blocked by Wass. I think it was going wide anyway.

36 min There’s a snap and hunger to Valencia’s play that bodes well for the rest of the season. They’ve been really impressive, particularly without the ball.

33 min That was the first shot on target at either end. I’m surprised by that statistic as it has been an open, exciting game.

32 min Casemiro’s curler from 25 yards is comfortably saved by Mamardashvili, falling to his left. Moments before that, a cross from the left just evaded the sliding Hugo Duro at the near post.

No penalty! I think that’s fair enough. Gomez made a meal of it, which was completely unnecessary as he was the wrong side of Alaba and through on goal.

29 min: VAR check. There was a bit of contact from Alaba, but not enough for Gomez to go over as spectacularly as he did.

28 min Valencia have a big appeal for a penalty turned down! Gomez got the wrong side of Alaba in the area and went over, but the referee showed no interest.

26 min Now Real are making a substitution. Dani Carvajal has strained something and will be replaced by Lucas Vazquez.

24 min Correia is replaced by Toni Lato. He goes to left-back and Foulquier moves across to the right.

23 min Just before Correia’s injury, Vinicius Jr went over in the Valencia are after running into Duro. At first I thought there was nothing in it, but replays suggest it was a reasonable shout for a penalty that could have gone either way.

22 min Now Correia has gone down with an injury. This looks like a muscle strain as well, and he won’t be able to continue. Valencia have had miserable luck with injuries this week.

19 min The pace of the game is excellent, particularly when Real have the ball and Valencia are pressing them. As Terry Gibson says on La Liga TV, Valencia look like they have been infused with belief by Jose Bordalas.

15 min Soler was injured when Casemiro pulled him back by the shirt. It looked pretty innocuous, so I guess it must be a muscle injury. He is replaced by the American teenager Yunus Musah.

14 min Hazard looks really sharp. He beats Alderete on the left of the area with a lovely dragback, turns and whacks a shot that is excellently blocked by the recovering Alderete.

13 min A big blow for Valencia - Carlos Soler is going off. I’m not sure what happened but he has signalled to the bench that he can’t continue.

12 min A short corner is worked to Modric, whose low cross is poked wide by the stretching Eder Militao. That was half a chance.

11 min Hazard swerves beautifully away from Alderete and finds Valverde. He smashes a cross-shot that is pushed away by the diving Mamardashvili and put behind for a corner.

10 min Valencia win the ball high up the field again. Guillamon plays a quick-witted pass out to Duro, whose cross is headed away by the stretching Alaba.

7 min Real have their first spell of possession. A stinging shot from Valverde is blocked unwittingly by Hazard, then Casemiro shoots wide from 20 yards.

3 min Valencia have made a lively start, pressing Madrid high up the field. Hugo Duro has started on the left, as expected, though he might switch with Guedes as the game progresses.

1 min Peep peep! Real kick off from right to left and lose the ball immediately. Nice one.

Valencia are in their white home kit. Real are wearing their new third strip. In a Hi-Res Aqua colourway with a subtle pattern throughout, this standard-fit shirt is made from lightweight poly, using AEROREADY fabric to keep you cool and comfy. It features short sleeves and a black, ribbed crew neckline. With white 3-Stripes to the shoulders, this shirt is finished up with a signature Badge Of Sport and the legendary Madrid logo to the chest. Machine washable.

The players stroll into the Valencia night. There are 29,000 fans in the Mestalla, with a cracking atmosphere as a result.

‘Mutability is our tragedy, but it’s also our hope’

Espanyol, who were beaten by Thomas Lemar’s 99th-minute goal last weekend, have just scored a 97th-minute equaliser away to Real Betis. A pulsating match finished Betis 2-2 Espanyol.

Probable formations

Valencia (4-4-2) Mamardashvili; Correia, Gabriel, Alderete, Foulquier; Soler, Wass, Hugo Guillamon, Hugo Duro; Gomez, Guedes.
Substitutes: Cillessen, Diakhaby, Lato, Yunus, Racic, Jason, Koindredi, Helder Costa, Manu Vallejo, Marcos Andre, Jesus Vazquez.

Real Madrid (4-3-3) Courtois; Carvajal, Militao, Alaba, Nacho; Valverde, Casemiro, Modric; Hazard, Benzema, Vinicius Jr.
Substitutes: Lunin, Toni Fuidias, Vallejo, Asensio, Jovic, Lucas Vazquez, Rodrygo, Isco, Camavinga, Blanco, Miguel.