Full-time: Valencia 0-2 Lyon
Well, well Neville’s first game ends in defeat. And it’s hard to argue that they deserved anything other than that. He has lots of work to do there. That’s all from me. Thanks for the correspondence! See ya!
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90 + 1 mins It’s all over in Chelsea and Arsenal.
90 mins There will be three more minutes before we are all put out of our misery.
89 mins It’s fair to say that this one has petered out.
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87 mins “Valencia could be drawn against Manchester United in the Europa Cup” points out Raymond Reardon. “Who will the Class of 92 support?”
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84 mins The fans are heading for home or for a late night snack at the Walk to Wok at 10 Calle de San Vicente Mártir.
82 mins Some more sub news for what it’s worth. Koné replaces Sergi and Beauvue replaces Lacazette.
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80 mins Game. Definitely. Over.
GOAL! Gent 2-1 Zenit (Milicevic 78) #UCL
— Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) December 9, 2015
As Kieran said in his tweet, Valencia have lost their shape of late and were very vulnerable to the counter so this goal came as no surprise. It started with Piatti (who came on for De Paul) losing the ball at the corner of the Lyon box by passing to no one. Darder picked it up and fed Tolisso. He played the ball to Lacazette who returned the favour and the midfielder found the striker’s run with a defence splitting pass. Lacazette latched onto that pass and ran on to beat Doménech with ease.
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GOAL!!! Valencia 0-2 Lyon (Lacazette, 76 mins)
Game. Over.
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75 mins Very much so:
Valencia have lost their shape completely here. Lyon should have killed this off on the break already
— Kieran Canning (@KieranCanning) December 9, 2015
Meanwhile, Valencia have another corner. It falls to Parejo. He controls it on his knee and, under pressure from a storm of red shirts, he snaps at his effort. It goes wide.
73 mins Just before that effort, by the way, Ghezzal replaced Grenie.
71 mins Speaking of Lacazette. On the edge of the box, he poked the ball through the Valencia defence and into the path of Darder. He looked certain to score but a superb save from Doménech stopped him from doing so.
69 mins Lyon get their first yellow card of the game (thanks to a Tolisso foul on Parejo) and almost get their second goal of the game. A swift counter saw Cornet set free down the right. He pegged his way towards goal and then, using the outside of his boot, curled a most dangerous ball across the goal. Lacazette was this close to get his toe on it.
67 mins All of a sudden, the Valencia fans have woken up and with good reason because ...
GOAL! Gent 1-1 Zenit (Dzyuba 65) #UCL
— Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) December 9, 2015
All Neville’s side need to do now is score twice.
65 mins Down the other end, a Lacazette pass sets Cornet free. He is through on goal and this looks bad for Valencia until out of nowhere, Abdennour swoops to the rescue and puts in a game-saving challenge on the young Lyon player.
64 mins Negredo does his best to try and thread a through ball but the bad news for Valencia is that Alcácer, who has been anonymous this evening, is caught offside.
63 mins There has been another goal in the Arsenal game. Paul Doyle etc etc etc.
61 mins Another Valencia attack but this time it’s Negredo who is the fulcrum of it. He barges his way into the box but looks to belt one in from close range but a host of red clad bodies get in the way and block his effort.
59 mins While that email was being copied and pasted, Valencia had two right-footed, outside-of-the-box chances. The first one came from Cancelo and the second came from Fuego. Lopes did well to deal with both of them.
57 mins “Having certain long-standing allegiances,” says Matt Dony “I can’t really believe I’m going to say this, but I hope Gary Neville makes a real success of it. I hope he gets something out of this match, and goes on to make a bit of an impact in La Liga. Right. Now I’m off to wash my hands after typing that. Out, damned spot.”
55 mins Cancelo wins a corner under pressure from Bedimo. De Paul takes. It comes off the head of Abdennour and then Mustafi feeds it wide to De Paul, who has taken up a spot on the right, near the corner of the box. He tries to beat his man, Grenier, who stops him by putting his hand across De Paul’s chest. It is a nothing challenge but De Paul goes down like he has been hit by a ton of bricks and Valencia get a free. It comes to nothing.
53 mins Danilo is replaced by Negredo. The crowd really like that one.
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51 mins There has been a goal in the Chelsea game. Join Nick Miller for that one. There has been no change in the score between Gent and Zenit, just in case you were wondering, which you probably weren’t, unless, of course, you are a hardcore Valencia fan but then if you are a hardcore Valencia fan you probably know already that the score between Gent and Zenit has not changed.
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49 mins The first corner of the second half goes to Valencia. De Paul takes it and Lopes comes to punch it. He makes a hash of it but Lyon clear the ball anyway.
48 mins ... and floats the ball to the back post and the head of Mustafi. He uses his noggin to send the ball back across the box but the referee calls it all to a stop as Mustafi was offside.
47 mins There has been another goal in the Arsenal game. Join Paul Doyle for all the necessary information on that one. Meanwhile, a challenge on Danilo by Tolisso gives Valencia a free-kick in the centre of the pitch about 35 yards out. Parejo takes ...
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45 mins Peeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep! We are back. No changes to tell you about just yet.
Is it just me or has Conor McGregor’s accent changed recently?
Half-time: Valencia 0-1 Lyon
That’s your lot for now. Back in a few.
45 mins There will be one more minute and a corner to Lyon. That comes to nothing.
43 mins The crowd are not happy. Firstly because they think their team should’ve been awarded a penalty – that was never a penalty. Secondly because Lopes was taking too long over a free. Thirdly because Santi Mina hacked down Gonalons and got a yellow card – that was always a yellow card.
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42 mins Meanwhile in Belgium ...
41 - Another great Lodygin save from close range, Gent could be 3-0 up! #gntzet
— FC Zenit in English (@fczenit_en) December 9, 2015
7 - @KAAGent had seven shots on target in the first half, their previous record in a whole CL game was six. Focus. pic.twitter.com/nyzd9vPzq4
— OptaJohan (@OptaJohan) December 9, 2015
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40 mins In the aftermath of the goal, Mustafi took down Lacazette and thus became the second Valencia player to go into the book. He will miss the next game should Valencia go through.
Lyon have been excellent down their right-hand side so it’s no surprise that that is where the goal has come from. Rafael, as he has done so often this evening, fed the ball Cornet. He had a bit of time and space and so he wandered forward. Once inside the box, he cut inside, stepped over the ball and, even though he was surrounded by three Valencia players, he curled it into the top corner of the net. Doménech had no chance.
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GOAL!!! Valencia 0-1 Lyon (Cornet, 37 mins)
My, oh, my.
35 mins Cancelo wins his side a corner on the right. De Paul plays it short to his full-back. He looks up and swings one in towards the back post. Lyon scramble it away.
33 mins Have to say, it’s hard to heat those whistles over the drums and shouts.
Whistles from some Valencia fans as team lose ball again... then supportive chants from others... almost like being at Bernabeu...
— Dermot Corrigan (@dermotmcorrigan) December 9, 2015
31 mins Lyon continue to make progress down the right-hand side – they have really done well down there this evening. Cornet gets the ball and zips one across the box to the feet of Grenier but a last-ditch tackle stops him from getting his shot off.
29 mins There has been a goal in the Arsenal game. Paul Doyle will tell you all about that.
27 mins Speaking of Doménech and good saves. Lyon get a free wide on the right, near the corner of the box. Grenier swings that one in and Rafael gets a head on it forcing Doménech to jump low and long and palm it away from his goal.
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25 mins A hefty challenge from Abdennour on Cornet sees the Valencia defender’s name going in the yellow book. Lyon have a free near the half-way line. They work that down the right-hand side and Cornet works the ball to Darder. He snaps one across the goal and Doménech palms it out to the edge of the box. Then it is Tolisso’s turn to snap one at goal but once more Doménech is equal to it (though he almost spilled the second one).
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23 mins Off goes Pérez and on comes Fuego.
22 mins Pérez is down and holding his hammy after a tackle on Cornet. This is not looking good for him. He is going to have to be replaced.
20 mins Bad, bad news for Valencia. Gent done scored a goal against Zenit. As it stands, they and the Russians will be going through with Valencia dropping down to the Europa League.
GOAL! Gent 1-0 Zenit (Depoitre 18) #UCL
— Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) December 9, 2015
18 mins Lyon play a spot of keep ball. Tolisso, has time and space in the middle of the field, and he turns and looks to find the space behind Cancelo and the run of Bedimo. Cancelo knows what’s up though and snuffs out the danger.
16 mins Another corner to Valencia. Mustafi is the target once more but instead of playing this one deep into the box, they knock it to the near post. Lyon, however, are wise to their game and Grenier heads it clear.
14 mins There has been a goal in the game at Stamford Bridge. Nick Miller can tell you all about that. Just saw a replay of the disallowed goal, think it was touch harsh on Valencia from our Slovenian referee.
13 mins And now the action is down the other end. Cornet is played into the box and is one on one with Doménech. He should score but the out stretched leg of the keeper stops him from doing so! The resulting corner comes to nothing.
11 mins Another corner to Valencia, another header from Mustafi .. and this time it goes in! The stadium erupts! But wait! what’s this? The goal has been disallowed for what looks like some roughhousing in the box from Abdennour.
9 mins Valencia get the first corner of the game. It is swung over and it meets the head of Mustafi. His header is of the bullet variety and it beats Lopes ... but not the post!
5 - Valencia have hit the woodwork more times than any other #UCL team this season. Obstacle.
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) December 9, 2015
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7 mins Rafael scuttles forward and wins a throw for his side near the Valencia corner flag. They look to attack from that but Valencia push Lyon back and the away side are forced to switch the ball to the other side. Eventually Bedimo uses his speed to make hay down the left and puts a dangerous ball into the Valencia box that Cornet couldn’t quite reach.
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5 mins Meanwhile in Belgium ...
4 - Early chance for Gent goes over the bar from a corner. Great atmos in the stadium! #gntzen
— FC Zenit in English (@fczenit_en) December 9, 2015
4 mins The crowd are making some serious noise via their voices and the beat of a banged drum. Valencia are struggling to get on the ball for these opening moments and there are audible whistles from the crowd. Those whistles, however, are soon drowned out by the excitement of a Pérez counterattack, a counterattack that comes to nothing.
2 mins Lyon start the game by pinging the ball around the pitch in a rapid-fire manner. They try to put some pressure on the Valencia defence by knocking the ball long down the left wing but the knock is too hard and the ball ends up in the possession of Doménech.
1 min Peeeeeeeep! Off we go then. Valencia are in their snow white and Lyon are in their blood red. The away side will get us going. Valencia start the match playing left to right and Lyon, as is the style of these times, will do the opposite.
It’s almost time to go. The players shout each other on in the tunnel, the referee grabs the ball from the stand and the crowd emit a loudish roar. The anthem makes its way from the speakers and the camera pans the players. Lyon look relaxed. Valencia look stern. Before we kick off there will be a minute’s silence for the Valencia fan who died last week.
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So. What are your expectations for this Neville bloke as a manager? Is he going to succeed? Or is going to fall flat on his face?
Here is what’s going on in the stadium:
Gary and Phil Neville both down on Mestalla pitch during warm-up. Angulo too. Phil putting attackers through a shooting drill.
— Dermot Corrigan (@dermotmcorrigan) December 9, 2015
Gary working with midfielders and defenders on a warm-up which involves spreading ball from side to side.
— Dermot Corrigan (@dermotmcorrigan) December 9, 2015
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Always the bridesmaid, eh?
“If you think that [cocktails from tears] is bad, then definitely don’t google “semenology”...” warns NSFW’s Michael Kruse.
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Bad news for Valencia and bad news for Valencia:
Zenit also travelling without Hulk or Witsel, and nowt to play for. Great chance for Gent to make last 16 / push Valencia to Europa League.
— Dermot Corrigan (@dermotmcorrigan) December 9, 2015
You can read more about Zenit and how André Villas-Boas’s team will have the group stage’s only 100% record if they beat Gent but they are off the pace in Russia and the coach is far from loved over here.
Given the importance of the other game, we’ll do our best to keep you posted of any important action along the way. For now, you’ll have to make do with the teams:
Gent: Sels, Rafinha, S. Mitrović, Asare, L. Nielsen, Renato Neto, Kums, Foket, Milicevic, Depoitre, Simon. #UCL
— Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) December 9, 2015
Zenit: Lodygin, Anyukov, Criscito, Lombaerts, Luís Neto, Garay, Ryazantsev, Danny, Yusupov, Javi García, Dzyuba. #UCL
— Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) December 9, 2015
Here in Guardian Towers, we (myself and Nick Miller, who is doing his MBM thing over here) like to discuss the big issues of the day, like cocktails made with human tears. Yes, it is a thing. Has anyone tasted these yet? Please say yes.
Team news
So here we are then. Nevill’s first side as a manager. One or two things worth pointing out. Despite Ryan’s fitness and the Spanish penchant for switching keepers when the clubs switch between tournaments and the league, Doménech starts in goal. Doménech is a local boy so you can be pretty sure the home fans will be down with that decision. Cancelo returns to the side following his spell on the naughty step and a fit and ready Mustafi alongside beside him in defence. One person who does not start, however, is Negredo, though given his lack of fitness and game time over the last bit, that should come as no surprise. As for Lyon, there are two things worth pointing out. Rafael starts against his former team-mate Steed Malbranque – yes that Steed Malbranque – is on the bench. Here are the teams in full then:
Valencia: Doménech; Cancelo, Mustafi, Abdennour, Gayà; Danilo, Parejo, Pérez; Santi Mina, Alcácer, De Paul. Subs: Ryan, Santos, Negredo, Piatti, Fuego, Tropi, Gil.
Lyon: Lopes; Rafael, Morel, Yanga-Mbiwa, Bedimo; Darder, Gonalons, Tolisso; Cornet, Lacazette, Grenier. Subs: Gorgelin, Koné, Bisevac, Beauvue, Ghezzal, Malbranque, Mvuemba.
Referee: Matej Jug (SVN)
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Good evening
“Mathematics has beauty and romance” reckons Marcus du Sautoy. “It’s not a boring place to be, the mathematical world. It’s an extraordinary place; it’s worth spending time there.” Marcus is a honourable man and he might well have a point but when the sun would be shining of a Friday afternoon in late spring and you were stuck in a double class with Mr Whatshisface, then the mathematical world was certainly not extraordinary and as for spending time there? Pfffff. You. Are. Joking. You wanted to be out in the field guzzling cans and looking over your shoulder nervously for signs of adult life. You wanted to be sitting in the local McDonalds over one strawberry milkshake and playing pool down the sea front. You wanted to be wiping puke from your mouth and running all the way home because you forgot what time it was when you were snogging at the Monkey Trees in Ardmore Park. You didn’t want to be sitting there caring about synthetic geometry or wondering whether or not 13 can go into seven. In fact, you still don’t care whether 13 can go into seven but someone does. And that someone is the new manager of Valencia, Gary Neville.
So why does Neville care so much about that maths conundrum? Well it’s simple really. There are 13 teams vying to make it into the next round of the Champions League but there are just seven securable spots and that was before last night’s round of action. That makes life for Neville and his side tougher than a mid90s Mobb Deep beat but not, and this is key, impossible. Here is the lay of the land in group H. After two wins and three defeats, Los Murciélagos currently reside in third spot. That same group is topped by Zenit Saint Petersburg and bottomed by Lyon, both of who have nothing to play for tonight. Which leaves us with two teams: the aforementioned Valencia and the baddy on the horizon, Gent. The Belgian side are a point to the good over Valencia so should they win, they will go through, regardless of how Valencia do. Should they lose and Valencia draw, they will also go through because of their superior head-to-head record with Valencia. However, should Gent lose or draw and Valencia win, there will be not one but two very happy Bury born brothers in Valencia come full-time. (Jeez, you’d almost forget Phil even existed, wouldn’t you?) Got all of that? Good.
Here are some fighting words from Neville to fill some space and make the preamble seem like it has more depth than it really does. “We are here to win,” he told a press conference on Tuesday. “The aim has to be to win all the cup games we play. I want to set the benchmark high tomorrow night. I don’t want to play down expectations at all.” Those are the sort of sentiments that the fans want to hear and they are clearly excited about his arrival at the club. On Monday morning, it was announced that his first training session would be an open one and 3,000 of them went to have a gork. “It was incredible,” said Neville of the session. “I was amazed ... I came out and could not believe how many people there were. I think it’s right that the fans can come to watch the training and get closer to the players and coaches. And you often get more from the players when the fans are there, and the players enjoyed it too.”
It was not the first time over the last few days that the Valencia players have given more than was expected of them. After Luis Suárez put Barcelona ahead last weekend, many sides would have melted away like a Wispa in the desert but not Valencia. They dug in and dug out a result. “The players set the bar high on Saturday,” said Neville. “Luis Suarez scored and the heads did not go down and we kept fighting and that is what I want to see.” As good as that results was, they are going to need to fight again his evening and they are also going to need Zenit and/or luck to fight for them too. This is going to be one interesting affair. Stay tuned for that and the first side that Neville picks as a manager all of which will be with us anon.
Kick-off: 7.45pm
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