VALENCIA 1-OSASUNA 2 | Osasuna thinks of Europe, Valencia, only in the Cup

Osasuna won a place in Mestalla to compete for seventh place in the League, that depending on who is the Cup champion will give a ticket to Europe. Chimy Ávila, from a penalty, and Budimir, who has played the net for four days, made Osasuna win where it had only done so twice before in its history. The rojilla victory surrounds Valencia in doubts one week before the final of La Cartuja, a team that covered up their defeat by Carlos Soler’s 11th goal. All this in an afternoon marked by the performance of Melero López and the VAR, who signaled two penalties, tiptoed in another, annulled two goals against the black and whites and fueled doubts about when and why the main referee reviews the plays on screen.

The referee’s decisions, in chronological order, were as follows: possible penalty from Torró to Bryan Gil. Neither Melero López nor Mejie Jiménez understood that it was. Penalty at the hands of Foulquier that Chimy Ávila converted. Without room for interpretation in modern football. It was 1-0. Goal disallowed against Valencia by the hands of Hugo Guillamón. Here the question is why Melero López went to review the action if the hand was clear. Guedes’ goal disallowed due to Diakhaby’s prior foul on Herrera. The feeling is that it was more of an error by the goalkeeper than an infraction by the central defender. But this action did not review it. However, shortly after, Rubén García contacted Guedes in the area. Melero López sees it and lets continue, but the VAR calls him, checks it and a penalty. Why did this one go to see it and the one with Diakhaby’s goal or Bryan Gil’s didn’t? If you are chronicled out on WhatsApp, a thoughtful face emoticon followed by another with open hands

Chimy Ávila started the afternoon having more prominence in the match than Guedes or Hugo Duro and that’s where Osasuna prevailed first in sensations. From the boots of the Argentine the best chance of those from Arrasate was born, a shot that repelled in the leg of Guillamón and that was not a goal because it ran into the post when Mamardasvhvili had a statuesque pose.

Valencia had only tested Herrero with a cross shot from Racic, one of Bordalás’ novelties, who opted for a mixed line-up with the Copa del Rey in mind, giving rest to Thierry, Alderete and Carlos Soler. A Moncayola, Torró and Oier, without frills or excesses, had a point more intensity than Helder, Racic and Ilaix.

But half an hour into the game, Guedes started his bike and his diagonal runs woke Valencia up. From then until the break, Bordalás’ men were the ones who called the goal the most, with a shot by Foulquier, another by Bryan Gil and a possible penalty by Torró against the Cadiz player.

The duel fooled no one. The order was imposed on the talent and the remedies for not conceding a goal were more than the solutions to do so. And the game broke down as these stakes usually do, with an isolated action. In this case, a modern soccer penalty, the one committed by Foulquier by hitting the ball in his hand, when he was just trying to keep his balance. Chimy Ávila did not forgive.

Then came the disallowed goal for Hugo Guillamón and Guedes. By then Budimir had shown that he is on a roll. He scored against Levante, Betis and Alavés and repeated against Valencia. That second red goal seemed to put the end of the match, but this recovered some emotion when Carlos Soler converted the penalty signaled on Guedes. But Valencia has several games in Cup mode and there was no place for the equalizer. Mestalla left resigned to her fate in the League, worried when she saw Guedes limping off for a few seconds and hoping that in La Cartuja, at least for one day, give Bordalás so that his Valencia is ‘bronco and cupbearer’.