Sunday February 5, 2012 Day 22 Finished Estadio Vicente Calderón

  1. Atletico Madrid hold Valencia in stalemate

    Atletico Madrid hold Valencia in stalemate

    Valencia dropped more points in La Liga as they were held to a goalless draw by Atletico Madrid at the Estadio Vicente Calderon. More

  • Live Commentary

    Time:90'
    • Atlético Madrid
    • Valencia CF
    • 90'+4 FULL TIME. The referee brings this contest to an end. It ends Atletico Madrid 0-0 Valencia.
    • 90' And Valencia keeper Alvez takes an age to take the resulting free-kick, and is subsequently booked for timewasting.
    • 89' Dominguez gets forward down the left and whips a cross in to Falcao, but the striker puts a difficult header wide.
    • 88' Good feet by Lopez, who lost his man on the left but ran out of space and drilled his shot from a tight angle straight into the arms of Alves, who clings onto the ball for dear life.
    • 86' Atletico burst forward with real pace and purpose on the break, but Tiago's pass wide to the right is casual and Valencia are grateful to clear.
    • 84' Atletico are six minutes away from going five games without conceding a goal. Quite remarkable.
    • 82' Valencia sub: Bernat on, Mathieu off.
    • 80' Atletico sub: Koke on, Diego off. That's Diego's last contribution, as he is taken off with 10 minutes left to play.
    • 78' Diego goes for goal from 25 yards but Alves makes a flying save to his left to deny the Brazilian. Very good effort by the Atletico playmaker, but it was at a comfortable height for the goalkeeper.
    • 74' Great chance for Valencia! Jonas does well to intercept the ball in midfield and releases Alba to his left, but Alba drags his shot millimetres wide of the far post.
    • 72' Alves plucks a high cross from the night sky, but the Valencia keeper doesn't look comfortable under pressure from Turan.
    • 70' Valencia sub: Jonas on, Piazzi off.
    • 69' Atletico beginning to turn the screw on their opponents, who have shown very little in the second half.
    • 68' Juanfran gets forward again down the right, but his excellent low cross is missed by everyone in the box and rolls out on the other side of the field.
    • 67' Atletico won't come much closer without scoring. A great run by Falcao, but a good chance missed.
    • 66' But Falcao misses a great chance! The striker drives infield from the right with a confident run before seeing his cross cut out by Rami. The ball comes back to Falcao, who goes for goal with his left foot, only for Rami to block it again - this time off the line.
    • 65' But Soldado has struggled to have an impact in what has been a game of few chances.
    • 64' Valencia sub: Adúriz on, Soldado off. Valencia, perhaps with one eye on their Copa del Rey game against Barcelona in midweek, sacrifice their top scorer.
    • 63' Piatti is late on Tiago, and is lucky not to see yellow. Infact, we will be lucky to have 22 players on the field at the end of this one. Lots of fouls and petulance out there at the moment.
    • 61' And the home fans are getting tetchy too, frustrated with their side's inability to create chances against Valencia.
    • 60' Falcao is booked for a foul on Rami. Things getting a bit tetchy on the pitch at the moment.
    • 58' Atletico needed Falcao receiving the cross rather than providing it.
    • 57' Good play by Falcao, who strides into space down the left before delivering a dangerous left-footed cross across the face of the Valencia goal - but there is no one in the box and the ball rolls out for a throw on the opposite side.
    • 55' Atletico sub: Dominguez on, Godin off. Godin took a real battering there and appears to have twisted his knee, so will play no further part.
    • 54' The game goes on without Godin for the time being, and Courtois is forced to punch clear from Soldado.
    • 52' And Godin has gone down injured after hitting the deck very hard after that collision. He has been stretchered off and it doesn't look good for Godin.
    • 51' Godin is penalised after he clatters into Valencia keeper Alves as the pair jump for a high ball into the box. To be fair, both players were going for the ball.
    • 49' Soldado is through on goal but Miranda, already on a yellow card, does brilliantly to get back and poke the ball off the toes of Valencia's top scorer.
    • 48' Positive start to this second half by the home side.
    • 47' Atletico start the second half brightly and Gabi comes as close as the home side have come, lashing a loose ball just wide from the edge of the box.
    • 46' KICK OFF. Atletico get the second half underway.
    • 45' HALF TIME. It's 0-0 at the break after an attritional first half that Valencia have edged. But the visitors have only that Piatti chance to show for it. An intriguing second half awaits.
    • 45' It's a scrappy end to the first half, and Albelda sees yellow for a foul on Gabi. That one's been coming.
    • 44' But Diego's free-kick finds six Atletico players all caught by the Valencia offside trap.
    • 43' Atletico, pushing for a goal just before the break, win a free-kick 30 yards from goal after Piatti clumsily fouls Diego.
    • 41' Falcao throws himself at another cross from the right - this time from Juanfran. He claims an infringement prevented him jumping, but it's a hopeful plea.
    • 40' Tiago catches Piatti late and Valencia have a free-kick 25 yards out... But Costa hits it straight into the wall.
    • 38' But Valencia have to be happy with their performance in the first half so far. They have looked far more comfortable than the hosts.
    • 37' Miguel has a shot from distance after a patient Valencia build-up. His last goal was in 2007 and, after that shot, you can see why.
    • 35' Falcao comes close! Diego puts in yet another good ball from the right. This time Adrian nods it down and Falcao comes in undetected at the far post and only just fails to make contact.
    • 34' Juanfran claims handball as his cross from the right appears to strike the arm of Ruiz. Replays show it was Ruiz's thigh.
    • 33' Valencia are now controlling this game. No great concern for Diego Simeone, but the visitors are now seeing far more of the ball.
    • 31' Miranda has got that booking he was looking for. For a foul on Soldado, who will look to test the Atletico man even more now he is on a yellow.
    • 29' Valencia chance! The visitors create their first opening as Juanfran only half clears Rami's ball forward and it falls to Piatti, who lashes the ball at goal from 20 yards, forcing Courtois to palm it away to his right.
    • 27' There's a steel to Atletico under Simeone, and his side are holding up well so far. Valencia are yet to register their first meaningful attack.
    • 26' Mathieu's wound is patched up and he is back on the field.
    • 25' Diego involved again as he clatters into Alba. This game certainly has an edge to it at the moment.
    • 24' Diego and Mathieu ave clashed heads. There's blood and the game has stopped while the Valencia man receives treatment.
    • 22' Valencia commit numbers on the break, but the ball forward to Soldado is too hard and Atletico regroup.
    • 21' Falcao finds some space down the right, but Alba and Albelda combine to halt the charge of the former Porto man.
    • 20' Valencia seem to have weathered the storm and are seeing more of the ball now. This time Rami overhits his cross from the left towards Soldado, who applauds the ball nonetheless.
    • 18' Soldado is highest scoring Spanish scorer in La Liga, and he is certainly a marked man tonight.
    • 17' Solado is clattered into by Miranda, who gets away with the challenge. But Soldado gives him a shove and wags his finger at the Atletico man.
    • 16' Falcao heads the resulting free-kick from Diego over the bar, but Atletico are making all the running here. Valencia yet to get going after those bright opening moments.
    • 15' Valencia's Ruiz is booked after Falcao turned past him, before being dumped to the ground by the Valencia defender.
    • 14' Diego whips in a dangerous free-kick from the right, but Godin is penalised for a push in the box after leaping highest and then nodding just over. Valencia free-kick.
    • 13' Soldado is tripped by Filipe, who has stuck close to the Valencia forward in the early stages. This time, Soldado wins the free-kick.
    • 11' Atletico's new coach, Diego Simeone, is yet to sit down. He is barking instructions from the technical area.
    • 9' Atletico win a free-kick 25 yards out, just right of centre. But Diego's ball into the box is headed clear as Valencia, in all black tonight, form a strong defensive line.
    • 7' A save for the cameras by Alves, but a crucial save nonetheless.
    • 6' But Atletico are pushing forward down the right wing, and Alves is forced into the first save of the night from Lopez, who glances Juanfran's volleyed cross towards goal.
    • 4' Valencia know a win will put daylight between them and Levante, and they have started confidently here.
    • 2' It's an even start here so far, each side feeling out the other at a packed Estadio Vicente Calderon.
    • 1' KICK OFF.
    • 20.28 The players have emerged from the tunnel and are exchanging pleasantries. That must mean we are just a couple of minutes away from kick-off at the Estadio Vicente Calderon.
    • 20.25 ATLETICO: Courtois; Juanfran, Miranda, Godín, Filipe; Tiago, Gabi; Adrián, Diego, Arda Turan; Falcao /// VALENCIA: Alves; Miguel, Rami, V.Ruiz, Mathieu; Albelda, T.Costa; Pablo, Piatti, J. Alba; Soldado.
    • 20.20 While they are unlikely to haul back the 16 points between themselves and Real Madrid, a win will put Valencia in a strong position to claim third place ahead of Levante. Lots to play for then!
    • 20.15 But Valencia are in good form themselves, unbeaten in their last five games in all competitions. Although their wins have come in the Copa del Rey only.
    • 20.15 Striker Falcao has scored five goals in those four games and, most impressively, Los Rojiblancos have yet to concede under Diego Simeone.
    • 20.10 Atletico boss Diego Simeone has overseen three wins and a draw in his first four games since taking over from Gregorio Manzano - but this game against Valencia represents his first major test as coach.
    • 20:00 Valencia can strengthen their grip on third place and pull seven points clear of their city rivals Levante with a win at Atletico Madrid.

  • Summary

    • 88' Good feet by Lopez, who lost his man on the left but ran out of space and drilled his shot from a tight angle straight into the arms of Alves, who clings onto the ball for dear life.
    • 78' Diego goes for goal from 25 yards but Alves makes a flying save to his left to deny the Brazilian. Very good effort by the Atletico playmaker, but it was at a comfortable height for the goalkeeper.
    • 74' Great chance for Valencia! Jonas does well to intercept the ball in midfield and releases Alba to his left, but Alba drags his shot millimetres wide of the far post.
    • 66' But Falcao misses a great chance! The striker drives infield from the right with a confident run before seeing his cross cut out by Rami. The ball comes back to Falcao, who goes for goal with his left foot, only for Rami to block it again - this time off the line.
    • 49' Soldado is through on goal but Miranda, already on a yellow card, does brilliantly to get back and poke the ball off the toes of Valencia's top scorer.
    • 47' Atletico start the second half brightly and Gabi comes as close as the home side have come, lashing a loose ball just wide from the edge of the box.
    • 29' Valencia chance! The visitors create their first opening as Juanfran only half clears Rami's ball forward and it falls to Piatti, who lashes the ball at goal from 20 yards, forcing Courtois to palm it away to his right.
    • 6' But Atletico are pushing forward down the right wing, and Alves is forced into the first save of the night from Lopez, who glances Juanfran's volleyed cross towards goal.
    • 20.25 ATLETICO: Courtois; Juanfran, Miranda, Godín, Filipe; Tiago, Gabi; Adrián, Diego, Arda Turan; Falcao /// VALENCIA: Alves; Miguel, Rami, V.Ruiz, Mathieu; Albelda, T.Costa; Pablo, Piatti, J. Alba; Soldado.

Team Line-up & Ratings

  • Atlético Madrid

    Manager: Diego Simeone

  • Valencia CF

    Manager: Unai Emery

  • Line-up

    Live Team Line-Up

  • Rate Players

    Rate Players

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    • Player Y! Users Expert My Rating
      Goalkeeper
      10 -
      Defenders
      - -
      Yellow Card - -
      Substitution Out56′ - -
      - -
      Midfielders
      8 -
      - -
      - -
      Substitution Out81′ - -
      Substitution Out80′ 9 -
      Strikers
      Yellow Card 9.5 -
      Subs
      Substitution In80′ - -
      Substitution In56′ - -
      Substitution In81′ - -
    • Player Y! Users Expert My Rating
      Goalkeeper
      Yellow Card 10 -
      Defenders
      10 -
      10 -
      Yellow Card 10 -
      10 -
      Midfielders
      Yellow Card 10 -
      10 -
      10 -
      Substitution Out68′ 10 -
      Substitution Out83′ 10 -
      Strikers
      Substitution Out63′ 10 -
      Subs
      Substitution In68′ 10 -
      Substitution In63′ 10 -
      Substitution In83′ 10 -

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  1. this has been one of the best valencia sides in a while­ despite missing so many superstars like villa, mata­ silva etc they seem to have a great work ethic this­ season

    From Brendan, on Mon 6 Feb 6:08

  2. Venga Atleti!!!

    From varga, on Sun 5 Feb 20:40
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