Valencia CF have been absent from competitive football for nearly a month following the devastating flash-flooding that struck the Communitat Valenciana on October 29th. LaLiga Correspondent Jack Harris analyses an emotional afternoon at Mestalla Stadium.
Football is a game with confusing priorities. In the wake of Spain’s ‘DANA’ tragedy – flash-flooding that has, at time of writing, claimed 221 lives – Spain has seen these priorities first-hand.
Villarreal’s Ayoze Pérez openly criticised the decision for LaLiga fixtures to continue during the disaster. Real Betis’ Pablo Fornals refused to celebrate a crucial goal against Athletic Bilbao, instead holding up a “FUERZA VALENCIA” shirt as the tears ran down his cheeks. Countless journalists, fans and players have added their voices to the clamour, the furore that has resonated around Spain’s football leagues.
Players and teams were unified in their support, but such a show of unity is easily diminished when the administrative message is “our football will not pause for your grieving”.
Football should not come first. As the death toll rose, as aid-workers swept mud from the streets, as families anxiously awaited news of loved ones missing amidst the chaos: well, the goals still flew in around the grounds. It was a serious case of ‘missed opportunity’ for the Spanish Football Federation to make a real statement of unity and support. Whilst Valencia, as well as Villarreal and Levante, saw requests for fixture postponement granted, the fact that their league rivals went on with business almost as usual leaves a sour taste in the mouth.
‘Almost’, because it wasn’t exactly ‘as usual’. Minutes of silence, commemorative shirts with supportive slogans and classy moments of goal dedication filled stadia and screens across Spain. Clubs made substantial donations to relief projects, whilst their players mucked in and swept streets, packaged supplies and auctioned shirts. Players and teams were unified in their support, but such a show of unity is easily diminished when the administrative message is “our football will not pause for your grieving”.
So, when Valencia finally took to the pitch – after nearly a month’s absence from competitive play – it was never going to be ‘about the football’. The scenes at their Mestalla stadium were profoundly moving. Fan groups had widely published a message to wear black shirts to the game: a decision echoing the choice of the club to wear their black and gold second jersey. Sponsorship space was, remarkably, conceded for a slogan bolding proclaiming “AMUNT VALENCIANS (‘on you go Valencians’). Before a ball had been kicked, emotion was pouring down from the stands. Signs made for loved ones lost. Red and yellow cards, held up to create a flag-like effect around the tiers of seating. A band, playing the Valencian community’s anthem, whilst the two teams stood side-by-side surrounding the region’s flag. Understandably, the Valencia players betrayed visible emotion: in particular, home-grown players César Tárrega and club captain José Luis Gayà wept for the suffering of their land.
Chesting the ball down inside the box, [Díego] López swiped at the ball on the half-volley, blasting it into the top corner before Rui Silva had time to intervene. For a young player who idolises Valencia’s mythical forward, David Villa, the ‘Guajín’ certainly did the ‘Guaje’ proud with Valencia’s fourth goal of the afternoon.
Football fans frequently praise – or despise – the ‘script-writers’ in football. Moments are either poetically written in the stars, or cruelly ‘pre-determined’ to dismantle a team’s performance. For César Tárrega, the script couldn’t have been any more beautiful: the centre-back alert in the box to smash home a loose ball in the box. An academy product, producing a moment of utterly cathartic joy after a month of such prolonged, uncertain horror, was playwright perfection.
Fellow academy graduate Díego López knows a few things about scoring when it matters – the winger scored vital goals against Real Madrid and Real Betis in 2023 that, ultimately, spared Valencia the ignominy of relegation. López thought he had repeated the trick before the close of the first-half, smashing a header from a pinpoint Gayà cross against the post. He got his moment, though, in the second-half, again from a Gayà cross. Chesting the ball down inside the box, López swiped at the ball on the half-volley, blasting it into the top corner before Rui Silva had time to intervene. For a young player who idolises Valencia’s mythical forward, David Villa, the ‘Guajín’ certainly did the ‘Guaje’ proud with Valencia’s fourth goal of the afternoon.
And in between? Hugo Duro at the double. Off the back of a top-scoring season for Los Che, Duro initially looked shaky: his emotions were clear before the referee’s whistle and, inadvertently guiding a cross into his own net, it seemed that his emotions were clouding his judgement. Yet, as Javi Guerra’s goal-bound ball arced far into the air, Valencia’s sharpshooter tracked its flight like a hawk and struck with sniper-like precision to make it 28 goals for the blanquinegres. He was unselfish for much of the game, looking to tee-up teammates rather than plunder the spoils for himself. Those who know Duro, though, know that an on-rushing goalkeeper is simply irresistible for the Madrid-born poacher. As Rui Silva charged towards him on 53 minutes, Duro did what Duro does, looping the ball right over the keeper’s head. A cheeky goal – and a cheeky celebration – sent a grieving Mestalla crowd into utter, gleeful euphoria.
Betis were no slouches: aside from a chaotic start to the second-half in which they were thoroughly punished, they played well on the ball and looked to hassle the Valencia defence. Chimy Ávila looked to rain on Valencia’s parade with stunning foot work and a scything strike with 30 minutes to play, but a shambolic 10 minute period was enough to undo Los Verdiblancos and put a dent in their European aspirations.
Valencia have a great deal of work to do. This result – whilst massively positive in terms of confidence and form – only puts the side 18th, 2 points clear of safety from the relegation zone. Although they have two games in hand, their away form has been pitiful in this campaign, making three points from a game away to relegation-threatened Espanyol far from certain. Their other ‘free’ game welcomes Real Madrid to Mestalla: Los Blancos have a chip on their shoulder, having watched eternal rivals Barcelona power into a lead in the league table. Not only that, but the rivalry Valencia and Real have shared in recent seasons has become something of a derby in itself. With a controversial goal chalked off, a rescinded red card and the shocking racial abuse of Vinicius Junior all in the space of two seasons, Real will be desperate to leave no scraps for Rubén Baraja’s charges.
Yet, this is all beyond the point. Considering the season as a whole – and the perils of what fate could befall the club – is tomorrow’s business. Valencia is a region in mourning. For too many families and communities, grief is bitterly raw, and there is damage (physical, as well as mental) to be repaired. Today was a day for Valencia’s to put suffering behind them, if only for 90 short minutes, to come together once again and unite in their stadium. For them, it was never about the result: but what a bonus joy that was.
