Real Madrid Unite and Valencia Ignite, but Neither Team Gets What It Needs

Gary Neville was buoyant despite the result, and so too was Rafa Benitez.

"It was the best performance we have had," said Neville late on Sunday night, his conviction strong, his words absolutely true. Just minutes earlier, his opposite number had expressed a similar message, a degree of satisfaction evident even if celebration wasn't: "For the effort the team made, my players deserve more praise than anything else," said Benitez. 

Following a breathless and compelling 2-2 draw between Valencia and Real Madrid at the Mestalla, both men had reason to be pleased. To begin the new year, their respective sides had shelved much of the indifference that has surrounded them to contest one of the games of the season, a classic Spanish grudge match drawing something out of them. A response, perhaps. A previously missing fire. 

Real Madrid had begun the evening in a blaze to take an early lead; Valencia, seemingly on the ropes, responded with their own period of dominance. Just before the break, Gareth Bale had a strong penalty shout denied; immediately, Valencia went up the other end to win a penalty of their own and equalise. 

Toing and froing: It was the theme of the night.  

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Indeed, when the players returned after the break, the game was just as furiously paced, and the wild swings continued. As the hour-mark passed, it looked poised to be advantage Madrid when Cristiano Ronaldo broke into the Valencia box; instead, it was advantage Valencia when his penalty claim was denied and, in the seconds that followed, Mateo Kovacic was sent off. 

With Madrid down to 10 men, the game was Valencia's for the taking. Yet such a storyline was too simplistic for this occasion. Rather than wilting, Madrid conjured a retaliation and went ahead through Bale; 71 seconds later, Valencia were level again through Paco Alcacer. 

Laced with mutual dislike, this duel had grown frantic and chaotic, the game's conclusion fitting when, in the 93rd minute, Alvaro Negredo had a chance to win it at one end and Bale had a chance to win it at the other. Neither man did, of course, but that didn't detract from the spectacle. 

"Crazy," said AS. "Thrilling," said Marca. It undoubtedly was, and in the immediate aftermath of it, there were positive sensations for all involved. 

For the hosts, there was a ferocity to their performance that has often been absent this season, Neville seeing for the first time how his new team and his new stadium can be ignited by big occasions. Valencia's new boss would have also been delighted with the sparkling performance of Andre Gomes in midfield and the threat posed by an extremely mobile front three in Alcacer, Rodrigo De Paul and Joao Cancelo. 

On the other side, Benitez on Sunday saw a team that, in flashes, finally looked like a team in the true sense of the word. The first goal was football pornography from the BBC; in midfield, Luka Modric was sweat as well as style; before his sending off, Kovacic helped with balance; the response to going a man down was impressive; and after the second goal, there was something to the team's celebration. It was collective. Properly passionate. There was a sudden sense of unity and togetherness in it.

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Figuratively, then, both teams had taken steps forward. And yet that was the problem: The steps forward came in the form of sensations and feelings, and right now, that's not enough. 

For Valencia, Sunday's draw means Los Che are still winless in the league since Neville took charge in early December, and it's now two months since they last tasted victory, a 5-1 win against Celta Vigo back in November. Certainly, a hard-earned point against Real Madrid is admirable—ditto for the one earned against Barcelona—but given the position they're in, admirable doesn't cut it anymore.

In 18 league games this term, Valencia have only five wins and 23 points. At the same stage last season, they had 10 and 35 respectively. That's essentially where the fourth-placed Villarreal are now, their 36 points meaning the gap between Valencia and Champions League football next season stands at a hefty 13 points.

For Real Madrid, meanwhile, their relevant gap is significantly smaller, but Sunday's result continues a trend the club can't shake. After the stalemate with Atletico Madrid and the losses to Sevilla, Barcelona and Villarreal, the draw with Valencia at the Mestalla means Madrid have taken two points from a possible 15 against the other members of last season's top six. For a team of Madrid's stature, that's an abysmal record; last season, it was similar too.

Just as troubling is the team's inability to capitalise on the slip-ups of their rivals. After Barcelona lost to Sevilla in October, Madrid dropped points against Atletico; when Barcelona slipped up against Deportivo La Coruna in December, Madrid fell in a heap against Villarreal; in response to Barcelona's draw with Espanyol on Saturday, Madrid fell short again.

As such, the fact remains the capital outfit can't find a way to win title-shaping games. Away from the capital, Valencia can't find a way to win at all. 

On Sunday, somehow, amid the senses of excitement and positivity, neither club got what it needed.