Late Valero penalty frustrates Valencia

Valencia failed to put pressure on Barcelona and Real Madrid at the summit of the Spanish first division falling victim to a late penalty equaliser in a 1-1 home draw with Real Mallorca on Saturday.

Spanish international striker David Villa went into double figures for the season scoring for the third successive game on 48 minutes but Borja Valero equalised five minutes from time with a penalty to prevent a fifth successive win for Valencia.

If they had won Valencia would have been a point behind Real, who face Barcelona in ‘El Clasico’ at Camp Nou on Sunday, but Bruno Grau’s unnecessary foul gave away the penalty and Valencia stay fourth level on points with Sevilla.

Another blow for Valencia was an injury to key Spanish international midfielder David Silva, who hobbled off in the 27th minute with a problem in his right knee.

It was a good late point for Mallorca, who stay sixth despite not managing to win a single away match this season.

Later on Saturday, Sevilla have the chance to move level on points with Real if they can secure three points at home to bottom side Malaga.

Malaga have not won in their last ten league matches but hold the Indian sign over Sevilla, who have not beaten them at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan since 2005/2006.

Real lead champions Barca by a single point at the summit but lost both Clasicos last season including a 6-2 mauling at home as Barca marched to the title.

“Those players who are ambitious must always believe they are favorites to win,” said Real’s Cristiano Ronaldo. “We have great respect for our opponent but we shouldn’t be afraid of them.”

Ronaldo is back from injury after two months out to boost Real while Barca sweat on Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Lionel Messi, who both have thigh strains and missed the 2-0 Champions League win over Inter Milan on Tuesday.

“We will see how they (Messi and Ibrahimovic) are on Sunday. I will talk with the doctors and make a decision,” revealed Barca coach Pep Guardiola. “It is not a coincidence that Real Madrid are leaders but we can beat them with or without Messi.”

In other matches, goalkeeper Diego Lopez was left a frustrated figure with his two penalty saves still not enough to help 10-man Villarreal end their away blues as they lost 1-0 at Sporting Gijon on Saturday.

Substitute Mate Bilic struck the winning goal on 75 minutes after Spanish international Lopez had parried Alberto Rivera’s initial spot-kick and Lopez saved another penalty from Bilic on 88 minutes, but it was to no avail.

Villarreal have yet to win on their travels this season and lie in mid-table far away from their goal of Champions League football while Sporting are a respectable seventh.

“We are disappointed but we have to forget this quickly because we have a very important game against Levski Sofia (in the Europa League on Thursday) and have to go into it in the best frame of mind possible,” explained Villarreal coach Ernesto Valverde.