Real Sociedad had not won at Mestalla since the 2016/17 campaign and wanted to lead. SafelyImanol Alguacil’s team kept the ball at a start that they wanted to be slow to avoid the Valencian momentum, which was trying to prevail without success with Javi Guerra as leader of the midfield and with Amallah further forward.

The royalists, who with their possession attracted and moved Baraja’s team from side to side, soon had the first dangerous approach with a rise on the left wing by Cho, who got rid of Thierry as he wanted and placed a low cross towards Carlos Fernández that the player missed the shot by centimeters and was caught by Mamardashvili.

But Valenciathe complete opposite of his opponent, He took advantage of possession to be direct and aggressive. After ten minutes, Javi Guerra tried with a shot from the front that narrowly missed in what was a warning for Real, who began to suffer with the pressure and recovery of the Valencians.

Remiro saved with a splendid hand a header from Amallah from a good cross from Thierry in the best minutes of the black and white team, which felt loose and had a spark in attack. But Real lost the game again. The Donostiarras kneaded the ball and they were waiting for the best opportunity to leave without rushing until they managed to deactivate Valencia.

Tierney was caught in a free kick to pass the ball to Carlos Fernández, who quickly unmarked himself and beat Diakhaby and Mamardashvili on the turn to advance his team. He Valencia tried to recover from the hard blowbut, in an attempt to insistently seek an equalizer, Amallah was sent off for a double yellow when he stuck out his arm against Oyarzabal.

The added time was tense in a Valencian fiefdom that asked for something more than a yellow for Traoré after an elbow to Diego López and the first half closed with a direct free kick from Pepelu that went just past the top corner.

After the break, Valencia physically fell. The high pressure exerted during the first half, the numerical inferiority and a short squad that forced starting positions were a deadly combo for the locals, who, while they were tired, saw all the artillery that Real still had on their bench.

Gayà left the field with discomfort and Real society was reinforced with men like Zubimendi, Zubeldia and Brais Méndez in a match that lost rhythm and became tougher. The San Sebastian team was calm, while the Valencians, blurred, became desperate and rushed into their plays as the counter progressed.

Baraja entrusted himself to forward Yaremchuk, who came out in the last fifteen minutes and He headed high after a Pepelu foulbut, despite the effort and some reaching the visiting area, Valencia could not face a Real Sociedad that, as the black and white coach said in the preview, is a mirror in which to look at itself for its management and operation.