For many long-standing Valencia fans, the club has now hit an all-time footballing low, especially after their two miserable defeats by Barcelona in the recent league and Copa del Rey matches. After Valencia conceded seven at the Nou Camp last month, comparisons were made with the performance of Gary Neville’s team, which had lost in the cup semi-final there…in 2016. In that match four goals by Luis Suarez and a hat trick by Lionel Messi, ensured the second leg at the Mestalla was an academic affair. In that instance, Valencia showed spirit in the return fixture and eked out a draw, being denied a victory by a Wilfrid Kaptoum strike four minutes from time, after Negredo had given the hosts a first half lead.

Socios and abonos hoped for a similar reaction this time around, but sadly confidence is badly lacking and the performance was one of the ineptest seen at the Mestalla this century. None of the starting eleven in the most recent game came out of the contest with any glory and inside thirty minutes a vast number of spectators were heading for the exit signs.

To make matters worse, the former Valencia favourite Ferran Torres had bagged a hat-trick in this time. The lifting of his team shirt after converting his first goal by the Foios-born native revealed a second garment stating ‘No olvidemos Valencia’. This well-meaning gesture and sentimental reaction did little to appease the frustration of the local supporters.

In the second half Barcelona eased off the pace and continued to play some quality football, whilst Valencia fans resorted to a sarcastic “Olé” towards their own team whenever they managed to compile a couple of passes together.

In particular Fran Perez and Hugo Guillamon felt the wrath of the home fans with choruses of boos focused towards their efforts, and the end of the game statistics displayed the gulf in class between the two teams. The home side only had 23% of the possession and a meagre one shot on target, compared to the visitors nine.

Barcelona also had 597 passes more than Valencia with a 91% accuracy rate. It is the case that Valencia has struggled in recent years against the giants of Spain like Real Madrid, Atlético Madrid and Barcelona, but what is even more concerning this season is the number of points dropped late in games against the more unfashionable opponents in La Liga.

On eight occasions Valencia have taken leads in games and failed to capitalise on it to receive the full quota of points. Recent home wins against Real Sociedad and Celta Vigo, look to have bucked the trend a little, but these nervy victories have not been convincing and the vociferous home support has done much to get Valencia over the line to claim full reward in these two games.

The away form of Los Che continues to be an issue and matches against Villarreal and Osasuna are next up and are tougher than most encounters on the road. Also, a visit from Atlético Madrid is on the horizon making the next home game against relegation rivals Leganes a definite six-pointer.

With the transfer window now closed and limited action from Valencia in that department this year, the climb up the table will rely heavily on players that have been instrumental in allowing the club to get into this situation in the first place.

More bad news for local football fans was the recent home result of Levante UD to lowly-placed Racing Ferrol. The surprising 1-0 loss stemmed their steady progress up Liga Hypermotion and nullified their recent positive efforts in Tenerife and La Coruna.

Two home matches against Sporting Gijon and Mirandes follow a trip to Malaga this month and a minimum of six points will be required from these three games to maintain their push for an automatic promotion place.

Undoubtedly, the highlight of 2025 to date was the result the Levante women managed to pull off against Barcelona women in the Estadi Johan Cruyff. The 2-1 victory for the visitors ended a forty-six-match unbeaten league run for Barcelona, who recorded their first league loss since May 2023, and it was way back in February 2019 when they last lost at home. (Huesca) Levante have the opportunity to do a ‘clásico doble’ as they host Real Madrid in Buñol in their next competitive fixture.

The Valencia women’s team are getting further adrift at the bottom of the league and are now nine points from safety. It is looking increasingly likely that relegation will be the end product for them this season. Especially as Sevilla and Barcelona away are two of their next four fixtures.

Below are the men’s teams fixtures.

Report by John Howden
Article copyright 24/7 Valencia/ Photo copyright ’24/7 Valencia’

Valencia CF
Valencia CF v Leganes Feb 9 16.15 hours
Villarreal v Valencia CF Feb 15 21.00 hours
Valencia CF v Atletico Madrid Feb 22 18.30 hours
Osasuna v Valencia CF March 2 tbc

Levante UD
Malaga v Levante UD Feb 8 18.30 hours
Levante UD v Sporting Gijon Feb 16 14.00 hours
Levante UD v Mirandes Feb 23 18.30 hours