There are still plenty of points up for grabs in the current La Liga season, but Valencia began proceedings deep in relegation trouble, and in need of an iconic figure to extend their 36-year LaLiga membership.
Enter newly-appointed Baraja, whose primary objective on his home debut was to galvanise a group of players bereft of confidence, and as the Mestalla crowd greeted an old hero, Valencia immediately harried and hustled high-flying Real Sociedad.
At times, nobody could tell which team was sitting third and which had their top-flight lives on the line, and it was Valencia’s renewed intensity which led to the opening goal.
As the clock hit 40 minutes, the ball was played across the six-yard box, and with Samuel Lino lurking at the back post, Igor Zubeldia had no option but to attempt to cut out the cross. The defender did just that, but inadvertently diverted the ball into his own net in the process.
Sociedad began this round boasting the third-best away form in LaLiga, and came out after the break with added impetus. Rich was the expectation of a barrage from the Basque visitors, but it was Valencia who seemingly fashioned the best chance to add a goal to their tally early in the second half.
Hugo Duro looked to have tempted substitute Alex Sola into a foul on him in the box, but despite the on-field decision being a penalty, a VAR review confirmed there was no contact on Duro and the spot-kick was overturned.
Against all expectations, Sociedad’s failure to beat Valencia since 2020 continued, as Los Che restricted Real Sociedad to speculative pot-shots and half-chances in the dying moments. Lino almost secured the three points late on too, but his strike cannoned back off the post.
Though suitably jubilant at full time, Baraja still knows he will have to produce something extraordinary to rescue the club from the humiliation of their first demotion for a generation, but on this evidence, his team are up for the fight.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Samuel Lino (Valencia)
