Villarreal came from behind to beat Valencia in the 10th round of the Spanish championship, securing all three points despite being reduced to 10 players late in the match.
Valencia took the lead in the 38th minute when Pepelu converted a penalty. The home side held their advantage through to half-time, but Villarreal continued to look for a way back into the contest.
Their pressure paid off after the interval as Alex Freeman restored parity, bringing the visitors level.
The match became increasingly tense in the closing stages. Villarreal’s task was made more difficult when Pape Gueye was shown a red card, leaving the visitors with 10 men.
However, the numerical advantage did not last long. The referee then dismissed Harvey Elliott, bringing the teams back to an equal number of players.
Valencia were unable to hold on in the final minutes and conceded again. Georges Mikautadze scored the decisive goal, completing Villarreal’s comeback and condemning the hosts to defeat.