Football Live

Sunday March 23, 2008 Finished

Real Madrid 2 - Logo 3

Real Madrid

  • Raúl 34’, 55’

Valencia

  • Villa 33’, 66’ (pen.)
  • Arizmendi 88’

  • Live Commentary

    Time:90'
    • Real Madrid
    • Valencia
    • 90+5' That's it! Valencia hold firm to claim an opportunistic victory, and Real's lead at the La Liga summit is down to four points. Back-to-back league defeats for the champions. Game on in Spain!
    • 90+4' Marcelo crosses from the left, Hildebrand comes and misses it, but the ball goes behind for a goal kick.
    • 90+3' Silva finds space on the Valencia right, and his cross is headed clear by Sergio Ramos. Two minutes remain! Can Real find an equaliser?!
    • 90+1' Tremendous save by Hildebrand! Higuain crosses from the right, Raul gets free on the edge of the six yard box and directs a thumping header goalwards but the German somehow manages to tip the ball over the bar!
    • 90' Arizmendi's name will be chanted in the streets of Catalonia tonight if the visitors can hold out here. As things stand, Real's lead at the top of the table has been cut to four points. But there will be five minutes of injury time!
    • 89' GOAL! 3-2 VALENCIA! Arizmendi races onto a pass down the right, skips past Cannavaro, draws Casillas and slips the ball home inside the near post! A dramatic finale here!
    • 88' Villa is back on the pitch, sporting an unconvincing arm bandage.
    • 87' Off the Valencia line! Higuain chases a through ball into the box, rounds the goal-keeper and drives the ball goalwards with his right foot but Albiol somehow blocks it on the line!
    • 85' Villa lands heavily after challenging Guti for a high ball, and stays down. The fans don't like it, but the Valencia number seven did land awkwardly and the medics are soon on the pitch.
    • 84' Sergio Ramos is caught in possession, allowing Valencia to break down the left through Villa, and Pepe is yellow carded after cynically bringing him down.
    • 83' Sneijder lays the ball off to Guti on the edge of the box, but his shot is blocked. Sneijder is then sent flying by a shuddering but well-timed tackle on the edge of the box. Valencia have got their backs to the wall now!
    • 82' Gago goes down in a heap after being caught in midfield, but the referee is unmoved.
    • 81' Nervy moments in the Valencia box again, as the ball drops to Gago before being hacked clear!
    • 79' Real so close! Sneijder bends in a free-kick from the left, Hildebrand can only parry it straight at Higuain, but the substitute heads the ball straight at the prone goalkeeper with the goal at his mercy!
    • 78' No more Samba-style trickery for Robinho - he's replaced by the slightly less flamboyant but nonetheless perfectly capable Gonzalo Higuain. Hat-trick-hunting Villa fires in a low shot, but it's straight at Casillas.
    • 76' Chance for Real! Robinho tricks his way towards goal from the right in inimitable silver-footed style before laying the ball back to Sneijder, whose shot is blocked on the line by Helguera!
    • 75' Morientes finds space on the left and puts in a low cross that Sergio Ramos cuts out, before stepping away from his man with an extremely risky but absolutely fantastic step-over inside his own penalty area!
    • 74' Pepe springs forward from the back, sidesteps three challenges with ease and finds Robben on the right, but the former Chelsea man's shot is blocked at close range.
    • 72' Real full-back Marcelo motors into space and plays a left-footed cross to the edge of the box, and Guti dispatches an athletic volley that bounces into the ground and flies just wide of the left-hand post!
    • 71' Morientes - former Real favourite - floors Sergio Ramos. Free-kick to the home side.
    • 70' Raul attacks a deep cross from the right at the back post but can't get a decent connection on his attempted volley and Valencia scramble it clear.
    • 69' Two goals each for two masterful Spanish strikers, and two hat-tricks potentially in the offing. Meanwhile Real are back on the attack, and Robben wins a corner on the right.
    • 67' Up steps Villa... AND HE GUIDES THE BALL INTO THE BOTTOM-LEFT CORNER! 2-2! You can hear a pin drop in the Bernabeu as the orange-shirted Valencia players run off to celebrate. The penalty decision was very harsh.
    • 66' PENALTY TO VALENCIA! David Silva goes to ground under a completely innocuous challenge from Cannavaro, and the ref says penalty!
    • 65' Double change for Valencia: Juan Mata and Ever Banega depart, to be replaced by Ruben Baraja and Fernando Morientes. And Hildebrand reacts well to keep out an effort from Ramos!
    • 64' Guti's really starting to pull the strings now. He strides into space on the edge of the box before firing in a low effort across goal that Hildebrand dives down to save.
    • 63' Real introduce Arjen Robben in place of Julio Baptista. Sneijder whips in the free-kick but Hildebrand claims it at the back post.
    • 62' Real starting to play some lovely football now, and Guti wins a free-kick on the left.
    • 61' Sneijder tries to bend a right-footed effort around Hildebrand from the left-hand edge of the Valencia box but doesn't get enough on it and it's a fairly comfortable save for the German custodian.
    • 59' Raul receives a long throw-in from the left with his back to goal and tries to lift the ball over an approaching defender, but he gets just too much on it and Hildebrand steps off his line to gather.
    • 58' David Villa is caught offside.
    • 56' GOAL! 2-1 Real! Guti picks his way around a couple of challenges before sliding a pass through to Raul, and the captain guides a measured left-footed finish into the bottom-right corner to claim his 20th goal of the season and put his side in front!
    • 55' Sergio Ramos tries to get on the end of a pass to the right wing but he just can't prevent the ball going out of play for a throw-in.
    • 54' Real attack, Sergio Ramos crosses from the right and the ball is cleared from right in front of Hildebrand's goal.
    • 53' Miguel gets forward well down the right and wins a corner. The ball is played to the back post and Casillas opts to palm it away.
    • 51' Gago glides infield from the right and sends in a low left-footer that is straight at Hildebrand.
    • 50' Real enjoying a spell of possession in the early stages of the second half. An intriguing dynamic began to develop towards the end of the first period, where Real persisted in attacking despite frequently being exposed on the counter-attack by Valencia, and it looks like Schuster's men are playing with a bit more caution now.
    • 47' Villa finds space on the Valencia left but delays too long as he waits for support to arrive in the box and is eventually tackled.
    • 46' The second half begins!
    • 45+2' The whistle blows to signal the end of the first half. Villa opened the scoring for Valencia with a well-taken goal, but Real were level within two minutes thanks to skipper Raul. It all sets things up very nicely for the second 45...
    • 45+1' Guti wins a free-kick on the left, takes it quickly and crosses towards Raul but Helguera clears.
    • 45' There will be two minutes of added time.
    • 44' Villa skips past three or four defenders before picking out Arizmendi on the right, but he can't pick out a team-mate with his cross and Real clear.
    • 43' Chance for Real! Baptista curls in a left-footed cross from the right and Robinho is unmarked at the back post, but he heads the ball down into the turf and over the bar!
    • 40' Real are applying some pressure now. Robinho finds Julio Baptista on the left, and he looks for Raul with his cross but it's headed clear.
    • 39' Sergio Ramos goes barrelling down the Real right after a loose ball and does well to win a throw-in.
    • 38' Great action here in the last few minutes, and we've got a game on our hands now!
    • 37' Valencia go on the attack, Arizmendi cuts in from the right and shoots, but the shot is deflected and loops up into the arms of Casillas.
    • 35' GOAL! 1-1! Real hit back immediately! Robinho drifts a cross into the box from the left, and Raul holds off former team-mate Helguera before emphatically heading the ball past Hildebrand!
    • 34' GOAL! 1-0 Valencia! Silva sends a beautifully disguised pass down the inside-left channel to Villa, and the Spain international coolly lifts the ball over Casillas and into the net! A lesson in the art of finishing.
    • 33' Marchena disappears down the tunnel, and he's replaced by former Real favourite Ivan Helguera, who is warmly applauded onto the field. Villa sends in a terrific snap-shot at the other end that Casillas turns round the post at full stretch.
    • 32' Julio Baptista cuts in from the left and fires in a low right-footed effort that draws a save from Hildebrand.
    • 30' Marchena has barely moved since being hit by that shot, and he's now being stretchered from the field. At this stage it doesn't look like he'll be able to continue.
    • 29' Guti cracks the free-kick goalwards and it's bravely headed away by Valencia captain Marchena, who then slumps to the ground. On come the medics.
    • 28' Julio Baptista wins a free-kick for Real in a dangerous position.
    • 27' Mata cuts in from the Valencia left before sending a right-footed effort well over the bar.
    • 26' Chance for Real! Guti glides into the box and is just about to shoot but he's denied by a superb sliding challenge from Hedwiges Maduro! Great defending from the Dutchman.
    • 25' Gago gets down the left and plays in a low cross towards Julio Baptista that Miguel has to tuck behind. The resulting corner from the right is taken up by Sneijder, and his drilled cross-cum-shot finds Raul in space at the back post but he's caught by surprise and the ball hits his knees before bouncing behind for a goal kick!
    • 24' Robinho advances into space on the left and takes aim but his shot is blocked and then cleared. Marchena goes into the book for a mis-timed tackle on Pepe.
    • 23' Fernando Gago finds Raul ahead of him but the Real skipper is crowded out by Carlos Marchena and Raul Albiol.
    • 21' Lovely football from Valencia. They break down the left, and Juan Mata's cutback is just ahead of the onrushing Silva, allowing Real to clear.
    • 17' Arizmendi seizes onto a loose ball 30 yards from the Real goal but sees his left-footed effort fly well over the crossbar.
    • 15' Julio Baptista finds Raul on the right, and he steps inside two defenders but is stopped in his tracks by the linesman's flag just as he's about to pull the trigger.
    • 13' Silva cuts short a Real counter-attack by tripping Guti, and he's lucky to avoid going into the book.
    • 12' Valencia started brightly here, but they've taken their foot off the gas in the last few minutes, enabling the home side to assert control of possession.
    • 9' First chance for Real! Robinho finds Wesley Sneijder advancing into space on the edge of the box and his low side-footed effort is comfortably stopped by Timo Hildebrand.
    • 7' Sergio Ramos goes to ground after hurdling a challenge by Villa on the Real right, but no free-kick is given.
    • 6' Villa whips the ball in towards the near post but it goes straight into the arms of Casillas.
    • 5' Real have started sluggishly here, and Pepe concedes a free-kick on the Valencia left for a foul on David Silva.
    • 3' Sight of goal for Valencia! David Villa tries to get on the end of a pass from midfield but can't get a touch on the ball with only the 'keeper to beat! Real's defence stopped, expecting offside, but the linesman's flag remained by his side.
    • 2' Robinho hares after an attempted long ball down the left flank from Fabio Cannavaro, but it's too strong even for him and runs behind for a goal kick.
    • 1' The first half begins! Real are in all-white, attacking from left to right. The visitors are in a change strip of orange shirts, blue shorts and orange socks.
    • 18:00 In the continuing absence through injury of top scorer Ruud van Nistelrooy, Real start with Julio Baptista, Robinho and Raul up front. Valencia midfielder Ruben Baraja is rested after his goalscoring exploits against Barca in the week.
    • 17:55 Barca's 4-1 victory over Valladolid means Real's lead at the top of the table has been cut to four points. And Valencia have enough dangermen in their ranks to cause the champions some real problems.
    • 17:45 Hello and welcome to eurosport.yahoo.com's LIVE coverage of Real Madrid v Valencia from the Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid. The home side have struggled for form of late - losing 1-0 at Deportivo La Coruna in their last league outing - but a win will restore their lead over second-placed Barcelona to seven points. 12th-placed Valencia go into the game buoyed by their Copa del Rey triumph over Barca in mid-week. The game begins at 18:00 GMT.

  • Team Stats

    Real Madrid Stats Valencia
    61% Possession 38%
    27 Shots 13
    13 Shots on target 6
    1 Saves 6
    5 Corners 3
    17 Fouls 15
    3 Offsides 2
    3 Yellow cards 1
    0 Red cards 0
    20 Tackles 28
    460 Accurate passes 259
    71 Bad passes 61

  • Player Stats

    G =
    Goals
    S =
    Shots
    SoT =
    Shot on Target
    F =
    Fouls
    FW =
    Fouls Won
    O =
    Offsides
    A =
    Assists
    AP =
    Accurate Passes
    BP =
    Bad Passes
    T =
    Tackles
    • Real Madrid
      G S SoT F FW O A AP BP T
      1 Iker Casillas 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 3 0
      5 Fabio Cannavaro 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 46 2 3
      4 Sergio Ramos 0 3 2 1 3 0 0 48 2 5
      3 Képler Laveran Lima Ferreira 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 54 5 1
      12 Marcelo Vieira da Silva Júnior 0 0 0 4 1 0 0 37 15 2
      19 Julio Baptista 0 1 1 2 1 0 0 16 3 2
      14 José Maria Guti 0 4 1 0 6 0 1 70 12 2
      8 Fernando Gago 0 0 0 3 2 0 0 70 7 5
      23 Wesley Sneijder 0 4 3 0 0 0 0 46 10 0
      7 Raúl González Blanco 2 5 3 0 0 3 0 17 2 0
      10 Robson de Souza 0 4 1 1 2 0 1 31 10 0
      11 Arjen Robben 0 3 0 0 1 0 0 7 0 0
      25 Jerzy Dudek 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      6 Mahamadou Diarra 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      9 Roberto Soldado 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      20 Gonzalo Higuaín 0 3 2 0 0 0 0 8 0 0
      16 Gabriel Heinze 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      15 Royston Drenthe 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
    • Valencia
      G S SoT F FW O A AP BP T
      13 Timo Hildebrand 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 1 0
      23 Luis Miguel 0 0 0 3 0 0 1 19 1 3
      5 Carlos Marchena 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 12 2 0
      12 Marco Caneira 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 22 13 2
      21 David Silva 0 1 0 2 4 0 1 34 7 1
      4 Raul Albiol Raul Albiol 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 1 5
      11 Ever Banega 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 27 8 0
      3 Hedwiges Maduro 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 32 4 4
      7 David Villa 2 7 5 1 3 2 0 29 4 0
      19 Javier Arizmendi 1 3 1 4 3 0 0 15 3 4
      16 Juan Manuel Mata García 0 2 0 0 3 0 0 27 13 4
      25 Jose Mora 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      9 Fernando Morientes 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 9 1 0
      8 Rubén Baraja 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 8 2 3
      15 Ivan Helguera 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 11 1 2
      2 Stephen Sunday 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      17 Joaquín Joaquín 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      20 Francisco Ruano 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

  • Summary

    • 90+1' Tremendous save by Hildebrand! Higuain crosses from the right, Raul gets free on the edge of the six yard box and directs a thumping header goalwards but the German somehow manages to tip the ball over the bar!
    • 89' GOAL! 3-2 VALENCIA! Arizmendi races onto a pass down the right, skips past Cannavaro, draws Casillas and slips the ball home inside the near post! A dramatic finale here!
    • 87' Off the Valencia line! Higuain chases a through ball into the box, rounds the goal-keeper and drives the ball goalwards with his right foot but Albiol somehow blocks it on the line!
    • 79' Real so close! Sneijder bends in a free-kick from the left, Hildebrand can only parry it straight at Higuain, but the substitute heads the ball straight at the prone goalkeeper with the goal at his mercy!
    • 76' Chance for Real! Robinho tricks his way towards goal from the right in inimitable silver-footed style before laying the ball back to Sneijder, whose shot is blocked on the line by Helguera!
    • 72' Real full-back Marcelo motors into space and plays a left-footed cross to the edge of the box, and Guti dispatches an athletic volley that bounces into the ground and flies just wide of the left-hand post!
    • 67' Up steps Villa... AND HE GUIDES THE BALL INTO THE BOTTOM-LEFT CORNER! 2-2! You can hear a pin drop in the Bernabeu as the orange-shirted Valencia players run off to celebrate. The penalty decision was very harsh.
    • 66' PENALTY TO VALENCIA! David Silva goes to ground under a completely innocuous challenge from Cannavaro, and the ref says penalty!
    • 64' Guti's really starting to pull the strings now. He strides into space on the edge of the box before firing in a low effort across goal that Hildebrand dives down to save.
    • 56' GOAL! 2-1 Real! Guti picks his way around a couple of challenges before sliding a pass through to Raul, and the captain guides a measured left-footed finish into the bottom-right corner to claim his 20th goal of the season and put his side in front!
    • 43' Chance for Real! Baptista curls in a left-footed cross from the right and Robinho is unmarked at the back post, but he heads the ball down into the turf and over the bar!
    • 35' GOAL! 1-1! Real hit back immediately! Robinho drifts a cross into the box from the left, and Raul holds off former team-mate Helguera before emphatically heading the ball past Hildebrand!
    • 34' GOAL! 1-0 Valencia! Silva sends a beautifully disguised pass down the inside-left channel to Villa, and the Spain international coolly lifts the ball over Casillas and into the net! A lesson in the art of finishing.
    • 32' Julio Baptista cuts in from the left and fires in a low right-footed effort that draws a save from Hildebrand.
    • 26' Chance for Real! Guti glides into the box and is just about to shoot but he's denied by a superb sliding challenge from Hedwiges Maduro! Great defending from the Dutchman.
    • 25' Gago gets down the left and plays in a low cross towards Julio Baptista that Miguel has to tuck behind. The resulting corner from the right is taken up by Sneijder, and his drilled cross-cum-shot finds Raul in space at the back post but he's caught by surprise and the ball hits his knees before bouncing behind for a goal kick!
    • 9' First chance for Real! Robinho finds Wesley Sneijder advancing into space on the edge of the box and his low side-footed effort is comfortably stopped by Timo Hildebrand.
    • 3' Sight of goal for Valencia! David Villa tries to get on the end of a pass from midfield but can't get a touch on the ball with only the 'keeper to beat! Real's defence stopped, expecting offside, but the linesman's flag remained by his side.

Live Team Line-Up

  • Referee: Carlos Clos Gómez

  • Real Madrid

    Manager: Bernd Schuster

    On the Field

    • Casillas
    • Ramos
    • Pepe Yellow Card
    • Cannavaro Yellow Card
    • Marcelo Yellow Card
    • Guti
    • Gago
    • Robinho Substitution Out (78′)
    • Baptista Substitution Out (62′)
    • Sneijder
    • Raúl Goals×2

    Subs

    • 16. Heinze
    • 25. Dudek
    • 11. Robben Substitution In (62′)
    • 6. Diarra
    • 9. Soldado
    • 20. Higuaín Substitution In (78′)
    • 15. Drenthe

    Injured

    • 21. Metzelder
    • 17. Van Nistelrooy

    Suspended

    None

  • Valencia

    Manager: Ronald Koeman

    On the Field

    • Hildebrand
    • Miguel
    • Albiol
    • Marchena Yellow Card Substitution Out (31′)
    • Caneira
    • Maduro
    • Banega Substitution Out (64′)
    • Arizmendi Goal
    • Silva
    • Mata Substitution Out (65′)
    • Villa Goal

    Subs

    • 9. Morientes Substitution In (65′)
    • 8. Baraja Substitution In (64′)
    • 24. Moretti
    • 17. Joaquín
    • 18. Zigic
    • 13. Mora
    • 2. Sunday

    Injured

    • 15. Helguera Substitution In (31′)
    • 14. Rodríguez

    Suspended

    None