27 April 2014 Share Facebook Twitter print GET INVOLVED Live Reporting In Summary Valencia 0-1 Atletico Madrid Raul Garcia puts leaders Atletico ahead Atletico need three wins for title Villarreal v Barcelona (20:00 BST) First Barca game since Vilanova death Reporting by Jonathan Jurejko, BBC Sport 17:20: CLOSE! - Valencia 0-1 Atletico Madrid Jonas has looked the Valencia player likeliest to nick an equaliser, and he goes close again with a close-range header. The Brazilian attacking midfielder ghosts into the Atletico box to meet Pablo Piattis left-wing cross at the far post. He thinks he has scored but Atletico defender Felipe Luis somehow sticks his body in the way to block. 17:16: SUBSTITUTION - Valencia 0-1 Atletico Madrid Lovely moment at the Mestalla as Atleticos former Valencia hero David Villa receives a hearty round of applause as he leaves the field. Spains record goalscorer, who scored 107 times in 166 league matches for Los Che before leaving for Barcelona in 2008, is replaced by Arda Turan. 17:14: Valencia 0-1 Atletico Madrid Valencia are enjoying a good period of pressure in Atletico territory. The home crowd see a half-hearted penalty appeal for handball dismissed, before Pablo Piatti and Jonas see shots blocked in quick succession. Get involved Moothead2: Costa trying to be far too cute there and put it through the keepers legs. Place it either side and its 2-0. 17:10: Valencia 0-1 Atletico Madrid Valencia have rarely threatened Atletico keeper Thibaut Courtoiss goal and their desperation is illustrated by an ambitious long-range effort from midfielder Jonas. The 25-yarder sails over the big Belgians crossbar - it was never going to trouble him. 17:07: GREAT SAVE! - Valencia 0-1 Atletico Madrid Diego Costa If I had a bad miss graphic then Id probably use that. But I havent so well give praise to Valencia goalkeeper Guaita rather than chastise Diego Costa for blowing the best chance of the game. Atleticos top scorer is clean through after taking advantage of a defensive slip, but is denied by the legs of the home stopper. 17:03: Valencia 0-1 Atletico Madrid Early opportunity goes begging for Atletico. Diego Costa makes a nuisance of himself on the edge of the Valencia box to tee up his skipper Gabi, who shanks one wide from 20 yards. That was like one of my 9-iron approach shots on the golf course. 17:01: KICK-OFF - Valencia 0-1 Atletico Madrid So what reaction can we expect from Valencia? The Europa League semi-finalists have got nothing but pride to play for in La Liga, but could earn themselves some end-of-season champagne from Real Madrid or Barcelona if they turn this game around in their favour. The home side restart the action at the Mestalla. OptaJose: Only Athletic Bilbao striker Aritz Aduriz (7) has scored more headed goals than Atletico Madrids Raul Garcia (6) in La Liga this season. 16:54: Dutch Eredivisie Dutch title four Ajax Ajax celebrate winning the Dutch title While Atletico edge closer to the Spanish title, the Dutch equivalent has been wrapped up today. Frank De Boer, who helped Barcelona win La Liga as a player in 1998-99, has made it four titles in four seasons as Ajax manager. A 1-1 draw at struggling Heracles left the Amsterdam club four points clear of nearest rivals Feyenoord with one round of Eredivisie fixtures remaining. Lasse Schone fired Ajax into an early lead before former Red Bull Salzburg midfielder Simon Cziommer equalised. De Boer is the first manager in the Eredivisie to win four consecutive league titles. Ajax players celebrate winning the Dutch league 16:51: Lies, damned lies and statistics Valencia v Atletico Madrid Is this a clear sign that it is going to be Atleticos year? Valencia, as our statistics from the Mestalla show, have enjoyed more of the possession than the leaders, who rarely threatened until the goal. Get involved Alex Haworth: Massive goal for Atletico. Theyve got one hand on the title. 16:45: HALF-TIME - Valencia 0-1 Atletico Madrid And there is no time for the hosts to respond as the half-time whistle goes shortly after Raul Garcias goal. Thats his 17th strike of a productive season in front of the net and, more importantly, its advantage Atletico. 16:42: GOAL - Valencia 0-1 Atletico Madrid - Raul Garcia (43 mins) Raul Garcia scores for Atletico Madrid against Valencia After a rather sedate opening 43 minutes, Atletico find a vital breakthrough. Valencia goalkeeper Guaita and his defender Jeremy Mathieu will not be watching this again on the Spanish equivalent of Match of the Day - they have made a huge howler between them. Raul Garcia ghosts into the Valencia box to glance Gabis angled pass past the on-rushing Guaita, who appears to have shouted to Mathieu that he was claiming the ball, into the empty net. The hapless Valencia pair stand there bemused, scratching their heads in disbelief. 16:39: Valencia 0-0 Atletico Madrid Finally Valencia break the deadlock - in the shots-on-target column. Argentine striker Pablo Piatti finds some space in the left side of the Atletico penalty box, tamely shooting low into the grateful hands of Thibaut Courtois. Plenty of perspiration from both sets of players, little inspiration though. 16:36: Valencia 0-0 Atletico Madrid koke Diego Costa looks to channel that anger in the right way moments later as he rampages down the right flank to create Atleticos best chance of the game. He holds off a Valencia defender before fizzing a low cross to midfielder Koke, who plants his effort into the Mestalla turf and over the home crossbar. 16:33: Valencia 0-0 Atletico Madrid Diego Costa could start a scrap in an empty room, so it is no surprise that he gets into a few moments of bother on the pitch. Known for his short fuse, Atleticos talisman often gets rough treatment from Spanish defenders trying to cause a meltdown. Today Valencia defender Ricardo Costa is chief tormentor, almost grabbing Costa in a headlock as the pair battle for a high ball. The pair square up before the referee quickly gets involved. 16:31: Valencia 0-0 Atletico Madrid A brief glimpse of the Valencia goal for the visitors. And, like a London bus, when a chance finally rocks up, another quickly follows. First, Atletico top scorer Diego Costa swings a right foot at a low cross and fails to connect, before the ball runs on to left-back Felipe Luis. But as the Brazilian pulls the trigger, Valencias back-tracking midfielder Barragan manages to block his effort. 16:27: Valencia 0-0 Atletico Madrid Valencia v Atletico Madrid Not quite the blockbuster we hoped for, but more like the tense and tight opening 25 minutes that we expected. Still no proper chances to speak of. 16:23: Valencia 0-0 Atletico Madrid Former Barcelona and Spain striker Juan Antonio Pizzi was the man charged with reviving Valencias fortunes earlier this season and he has enjoyed mixed fortunes since replacing Miroslav Djukic in January. But he looks pretty content with his sides start as he skulks up and down the Mestalla touchline. Pizzi gives a heart clap to Valencia midfielder Barragan as he prevents Atletico defender Diego Godin getting his head to a free-kick swung into the home box. 16:18: Valencia 0-0 Atletico Madrid Valencia are not the force of yesteryear when the likes of Gaizo Mendieta, Roberto Ayala and Pablo Aimar patrolled the Mestalla pitch in the early 2000s. But, despite being down in eighth place, Los Che certainly have enough ammunition to hurt Atletico. Barragan is enjoying plenty of success down the right flank, although Atletico keeper Thibaut Courtois has not been forced into a serious save yet. The only sweat he has worked up is from standing in the warm Valencian sun. 16:13: Valencia 0-0 Atletico Madrid An outrageous attempt from Atletico striker David Villa almost catches out the club where he made his name as a goalscoring predator. Spains record marksman spins a six-pence on the edge of the Valencia box before arrowing a searing effort just past the far post. 16:11: Spanish La Liga La Liga Heres a quick reminder of the state of play in the Spanish title race. Real Madrid kept the pressure on their noisy neighbours Atletico with an easy 4-0 win against a tame Osasuna side on Saturday. That man Cristiano Ronaldo scored two absolute beauties to set Real on their way. 16:07: Valencia 0-0 Atletico Madrid Almost a chance for Valencia striker Paco Alcacer. He is picked out in the Atletico danger zone by a delicate chip forward, only to take a heavy touch which allows away midfielder Tiago to nip in and snuff out the danger. 16:04: Valencia 0-0 Atletico Madrid Plenty of noise inside the steep banks of the concrete-clad Mestalla and the Valencia fans are buoyed by an encouraging start by the home side. Lots of endeavour in a high-tempo opening from Los Che, but they are yet to find a chink in Atleticos mean defence. 16:01: KICK-OFF- Valencia 0-0 Atletico Madrid We are under way in a sun-drenched Valencia. Is the sun going to shine on Atleticos title bid? We will see over the next 90 minutes. 15:59: Silence for Tito- Valencia v Atletico Madrid (16:00 BST) Valencia v Atletico As with all Spanish top-flight matches this weekend, the players are stood around the centre circle at the Mestalla to observe a minutes silence to remember ex-Barcelona boss Tito Vilanova. Vilanova died aged 45 on Friday after a long battle with cancer. 15:56: Valencia v Atletico Madrid (16:00 BST) Diego Simeone is the brains behind this Atletico operation, taking the unfancied side to the brink of the La Liga title and the Champions League semi-finals. The Argentine is desperate to win both competitions, but his team selection today appears to reflect that he believes the league is the most important. While European last-four opponents Chelsea made a host of changes for their Premier League trip to Liverpool, Simeone names nine of the starting XI which faced the Blues last week. 15:53: LINE-UPS- Valencia v Atletico Madrid (16:00 BST) Valencia: Guaita, Joao, Costa, Mathieu, Gaya, Fuego, Parejo, Barragan, Jonas, Piatti, Alcacer. Subs: Hector, Vezo, Feghouli, Keita, Vargas, Araujo, Fede. Atletico Madrid: Courtois, Juanfran, Miranda, Godin, Filipe Luis, Koke, Gabi, Tiago, Garcia, Villa, Diego Costa. Subs: Aranzubia, Suarez, Adrian, Arda Turan, Alderweireld, Diego Sosa. 15:49: Spanish La Liga Hola amigos! Welcome to the first of two trips to mainland Europe today, with sunny Spain on the destination board for each. First of all, we are winging our way to Valencia, where leaders Atletico Madrid are about to kick off. Then, after a short rest, we will be back a little further up the Spanish east coast for Barcelonas trip to Villarreal. So if youre lucky enough to see any sunshine where you are, then take your laptop, tablet or mobile phone outside, grab yourself a cerveza, stick a ready-made paella in the microwave and plonk yourself in a comfy deckchair. It will be like youre right there on the Iberian peninsula, promise. 15:45: Diego Simeone Show me a man who thought back in August that Atletico Madrid would win the Spanish title and Ill show you a liar. Even making such a suggestion would have drawn perplexed expressions and sly sniggers. But Real Madrid and Barcelona certainly arent laughing. Atletico are just three wins away from lifting their first La Liga title since 1996. However, boss Diego Simeone is refusing to smile just yet...
Posted on: Sun, 27 Apr 2014 16:26:08 +0000
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