Relegation battlers Cadiz and Real Valladolid take valuable points at home

Cadiz 0-0 Real Betis

Cadiz have been showing signs of life in recent weeks and they continued to do so against Real Betis. The visitors came into the match strong favourites and after Conan Ledesma pushed out a shot straight to Willian Jose, it should have been an early lead.

That may well have been the best chance they got. Cadiz grew more and more into the game, egged on by a baying Nuevo Mirandilla.

Growing in confidence, by the final 20 minutes Cadiz were very much the side pinning Real Betis back, looking like the European side themselves. A series of Claudio Bravo saves and close calls perhaps even leave Cadiz with the feeling they deserved more. In the final minute Sergio Canales picked up a second yellow for dissent, ruling him out of Betis‘ tie with Atletico Madrid at the weekend. A characterisation of their frustration.

Cadiz remain in the relegation zone with seven points, but extend their unbeaten run to five.

Real Valladolid 4-1 Celta Vigo

Even if you believe in Pacheta as much as the Valladolid manager believes in his side, nobody saw this coming.

La Pucela started the match up tempo and managed to impose themselves on the game. Just after the half hour mark, Roque Mesa’s deflected shot found its way past Agustin Marchesin. Celta responded with a smooth counter-attack, Jorgen Strand Larsen sold a brilliant dummy to the last man and left Oscar Rodriguez with an open goal to tap in. They celebrated with the vigour that suggested they would get back into the game.

Yet Valladolid responded in the second half again. In the 62nd minute Joaquin Fernandez towered in the box to thump a corner into the net. From that point on Pacheta’s side were flying and Sergio Leon converted twice on the counter and missed a penalty all in the space of five minutes.

A vital win, their third, Valladolid are at least temporarily up to 11th. A hammering on the pitch, this will no doubt do plenty of damage to Celta manager Chacho Coudet off it. Celta had been inconsistent in recent weeks and this was confirmation they have work to do.