Valencia 2-1 Real Madrid: Five Talking Points

Valencia ended Real Madrid’s 22-match winning run as they came from behind to record a 2-1 victory at the Mestalla on Sunday. Cristiano Ronaldo put the visitors ahead in the first half from the penalty spot and should have doubled the lead a little later, but the 29-year-old could only hit the side netting from a few yards out.That miss came back to haunt his side as the hosts scored twice in the second half. Antonio Barragan levelled the score in the 52nd minute and just 13 minutes later, another defender, Nicolas Otamendi, scored with a bullet header from a corner.Although the visitors went in search of an equaliser in the final 15 minutes, a combination of good goalkeeping and poor finishing cost them dearly.Here are the major talking points from the game.

#1 Real\'s run finally ends

Nobody said it was going to last forever, but that still does nothing to soften the blow. Madrid were chasing their 23rd straight win, which would have put them one behind the world record of 24, set by Coritiba. And although Valencia boasted an impressive home record, Real had averaged almost four goals a game away from home in the League this season and were expecting to inch closer to the world record.

When Ronaldo scored from the penalty spot, it looked as though it was all going according to plan. But then, in the second half, everything went wrong. They conceded two goals which could easily have been avoided and now are just one point ahead of Barcelona, who can take over as the League leaders with a win later against Real Sociedad.

Although the visitors have a game in behind and might eventually still go onto win the League, this game demonstrated just why there are no unbeatable sides in football.

#2 Are we witnessing the re-emergence of the Valencia of yore?

Only Barcelona have beaten Valencia at home this season and a victory over Real Madrid lifts them into fourth place, just four points behind Atletico Madrid in third place. But if there is one thing that will please coach Nuno Espírito Santo more than the result, it was his side's resilience and ability to withstand pressure.

Under the glory years of Rafael Benitez, the last time they won the League, Los Che's play was based primarily on having a defence that was capable of absorbing pressure and attackers who could combine effectively to score the goals necessary to win games.

After issues with debt among other things, the club haven't been doing so well in the past few years, but now under new ownership, it looks as though they are getting back to their old ways.

#3 Lack of balance costs Real

At the start of the season, some predicted that Real were going to be too open and concede plenty of goals. During their 22-game winning run they certainly quashed that suspicion as they scored 81 goals and conceded just 10.

But against Valencia, without Modric, Real were playing with just one defensive minded player in Toni Kroos, who himself prefers to go forward rather than sit back and defend.

If there was ever an opportunity to start Sami Khedira and drop James Rodriguez, this was it. Instead Carlo Ancelotti played Isco and James in central midfield alongside Kroos, which meant that they were far too exposed in the centre of the park and lacked the steel to go along with their silky skills.

That eventually proved to be their undoing as James simply struggled to get into the game and it was only after the arrival of Khedira that Real looked like a balanced side, but by then it was already too late as the visitors left Mestalla with not just their winning run halted, but also perhaps top spot taken from them, if Barcelona can win their game later.

#4 Valencia get their tactics spot on

Beating Real Madrid is never easy. More so, when they are on a run of blitzing opponents out of games. But Los Che managed a victory over the League leaders, not thanks to a brilliant individual performance but a collective work ethic and the terrific tactics employed by Nuno Espírito Santo.

Playing three at the back ensured that the hosts went man for man on Real's famed "BBC" and in Nicolas Otamendi, he had the League's best defender at the moment marshalling the troops.

In front of the defence line were new signings Enzo Perez and Daniel Parejo, whose prime responsibility was to break up the play and ensure that the visitors didn’t settle into any rhythm.

Up front, on-loan striker Alvaro Negredo did really well to occupy Real's two centre backs while Paco Alcacer ensured that Toni Kroos didn't have the time he needed to pick his teammates at will.

It was a day when everything the coach did clicked. Even the injury to Pablo Piatti early on and the subsequent arrival of Jose Gaya went on to become a master stroke. And although they were lucky on a couple of occasions, the win was the perfect reward for the execution of a well-worked out plan.

#5 A game full of emotions

If you wanted to watch a game that exemplified passion and commitment, then you would find it difficult to beat Valencia's win over Real Madrid. The atmosphere at the start of the game was simply electric and it looked as though it got to the players early on.

Gareth Bale was dished out some rough treatment from the home side as the tackles came flying in. But the first card of the game was issued under unusual circumstances as Jose Gaya was booked for entering the pitch without the permission of the referee even though he was waved on by the fourth official.

10 minutes before the break, Real were lucky to keep all their players as the referee decided against awarding a second yellow to Sergio Ramos for a tackle on Negredo. By half time, although the hosts had plenty of chances, they went in 1-0 down having earned five yellow cards.

In the second half though, Los Che were able to channel their energy a lot better and it was all thanks to Otamendi. The Argentinean's last-ditch tackle which denied Bale a certain goal, lifted the crowd, who finally believed that this could be their day.

And lo and behold, just a few minuteslater it was Otamendi, the side's most tenacious tackler and player of the match, who stepped up and scored what would turn out to be the winner.