On the field, Valencia continue to improve in terms of entertainment value but more importantly with their point’s tally too… as they scrap and fight to get out of the relegation zone. Prior to the DANA, Valencia had won only one game and now they have six victories in the win column. True, there have been blips since the new manager Carlos Corberán arrived…but those hiccups came against the likes of FC Barcelona and Atlético Madrid. Along with Real Madrid, those top 3 teams are streets ahead in terms of quality regarding the other teams in the Spanish league’s premier division.

All the other clubs in the domestic competition are much of a muchness, which is highlighted by the fact that despite Valencia’s precarious position, they are currently only nine points outside a European place in the table.

Seeing European nights at the Mestalla in the near future maybe too much of a stretch on the imagination, but maintaining La Liga status has certainly received a boost in the last few weeks.

Four home victories out of the last five, and points on foreign soil have appeased the fans’ concerns but the team very much remain the unfinished article as Corberán continues to tinker with the formation and starting lineup to a degree.

The tense victories over Celta and Leganés in Valencia, was then followed up by a well-earned point at the home of our Northern “comunidad” neighbours Villarreal.

A late equalizer from Sadiq ensured Valencia did not come away from the Estadio de la Ceràmica empty-handed, and the Nigerian international was instrumental in helping the club obtain a draw in Pamplona in their next away match with Osasuna.

This time he contributed a brace in a highly entertaining 3-3 draw, where Valencia played in patches some of the best football they have played in a long time.

Not having won on the road all season, Osasuna looked a difficult place to change that statistic despite the fact that Valencia have won the last three times they have played there.

Diego Lòpez is another one of the Valencia youngsters who has recaptured some of his best form, and he beat the offside trap to give Valencia a great start in Navarra.

Early leads have been a bit of a headache for Los Che, and they have relinquished 23 points from that position, failing to hang on to winning positions in numerous games that have finally ended in stalemates or losses for the club.

As the game continued Bryan Zaragoza, on loan from Bayern Munich, came more and more prominent for the hosts…with goal scoring chances being created at both ends.

Closing in on the end of the first half and with the score 2-2, it seemed like both teams would be going into the interval on equal terms. However, on the stroke of half time Mosquera mistimed a tackle in the penalty area to give the home side a penalty.

As a result, Valencia were about to be on the wrong side of history. Ante Budimir’s conversion from 12 yards ensured the Croatian became Osasuna’s leading La Liga scorer to date. His 58^th goal in the top flight surpassed the 57 goals Sabino Andonegi had scored for ‘Los Rojillos’ during the 11 seasons he spent with the club between 1953-1964.

With a few minutes left to play, Sadiq created an inventive equalizer out of nothing. The former Almeria and Real Sociedad striker was running away from goal, but still managed to execute a spectacular backheel flick that evaded the Osasuna goalkeeper.

Both managers were high in praise for the Nigerian ‘Super Eagles’ player of Valencia CF, with the host’s manager Vicente Moreno describing the goal as a “stroke of genius”.

As Hugo Duro is sidelined indefinitely, the goal scoring exploits of Sadiq and López will be in much need in forthcoming games. Both players read the script to perfection for the next game, by netting a goal each against Real Valladolid in what was termed a “six-pointer” by many associated press outlets.

Valencia won by the odd goal in three in a match that was a mixture of mistakes and nervy football. The goal conceded by the hosts was particularly disturbing; as Liverpool bound Giorgi Mamardashvili made a hash of a simple clearance. These basic errors remain evident in every game Valencia plays and need to be eliminated to ease relegation pressure.

The victory did ensure Valencia crawled out of the relegation places for the first time since the beginning of the season and, if the team remain free of complacency, they should find more breathing space after the next few matches.

Girona away and Mallorca at home after the international break look games that are both winnable for Valencia. The way the team are currently playing, anything less than four points from these two games would be deemed disappointing.

Levante UD meanwhile continue to keep in the race for automatic promotion from Liga Hypermotion. An amazing victory against Eldense when they came from a goal down to score twice in injury time to win 2-1 was a marvellous result.

Cartagena at home was the next match and with the visitors stranded firmly at the bottom of the table and relegation bound, three points were duly expected. Levante dominated the match and there were no embarrassing surprises as the ‘Granotas’ won the game with relative ease, by three goals to nil.

Valencia women are just a few games away from having relegation confirmed, but the Levante women’s team continue to fight gamely to stave off demotion.

A recent victory over Costa Adeje Tenerife helped their cause extensively, and now Betis, Espanyol, Eibar and Deportivo Abanca are all within catching distance. With nine matches left and games against Espanyol, Eibar and Deportivo (relegation battlers) means that the outcome of Levante UD Femenino’s season still remains firmly in the hands of the team itself.

Report by John Howden

Article copyright ‘24/7 Valencia’

Valencia CF

Girona v Valencia CF 15 March 21.00h

Valencia CF v Mallorca 30 March 18.30h

Real Madrid v Valencia CF 6 April

Levante UD

Huesca v Levante UD 16 March 16.15h

Levante UD v Castellon 23 March 14.00h

Almeria v Levante UD 29 March 21.00h

Levante UD v Santander 6 April tbc