Oviedo 0 - Valencia 0

Oviedo: Esteban; Gaspar, Danjou, Martinovic, Rabarivony; Amieva (Raúl 85'), Boris; Paunovic (Geni 80'), Tomic, Iván Ania; Oli. 4-2-3-1.
Valencia: Cañizares; Angloma, Pellegrino, Björklund, Carboni; Angulo (Zahovic 55'), Mendieta (Albelda 83'), Baraja, Vicente; Juan Sánchez (Diego Alonso 75'), Carew. 4-4-2.

Team changes: Oviedo: Gaspar, Martinovic for Pablo Suárez, Onopko / Valencia: Angloma, Pellegrino, Carboni, Juan Sánchez for Ayala, Djukic, Fabio Aurelio, Aimar.

Goals: None.

Oviedo and Valencia did themselves no favours with a scoreless draw at the Nuevo Tartiere stadium. Both teams needed a win but for totally opposite reasons, Oviedo to avoid slipping further into the relegation battle and Valencia not to lose ground on the top two. Neither had been on form recently in the league, with Oviedo not having won at home in the league in the last four games and Valencia having lost three out of the last four. Valencia had however qualified for the semi-final of the Champions League on Tuesday night against Arsenal, and although tired they at least came in to this match with their morale on a high. There had been much talk midweek of the future of their manager Héctor Cúper, with Italian club Palma now favourites to sign him and Mané from Alavés the best placed to take over at the Mestalla next season. If all of that does happen Kily González could go with Cúper and Mané could bring Javi Moreno and Contra.

That is a long way in the future though, and there were more pressing subjects to think about. Having failed with a revolutionary (i.e. reserve) line up last weekend, Cúper put out a more normal starting eleven, with only one change from the side that beat Arsenal, Björklund coming in for the injured Ayala. The international defender had in any case to travel to Argentina along with Aimar for a World cup qualifier later in the week, or at least to prove to Bielsa in situ that he was not fit enough to play. On the other bench Antic was missing his injured midfield general Onopko, but that did at least give him another non-EU place, with Martinovic coming in to shore up the defence. Keita is unlikely to return to the side as an EU player after the federation cancelled his registration having proved his French passport was apparently false, although he may be permitted to rejoin the squad as a non-EU player if they leave an injured player out of the squad.

Valencia's midweek efforts had taken their toll, and Oviedo found it easier than expected to command the game. However they came up against a valiant back four and an on-form Cañizares, and were unable to penetrate the defensive net in the first half. With Oli tied down, their best efforts came from Tomic with long range efforts which didn't trouble Cañizares too much, although they were unlucky not to be awarded a penalty when Pellegrino pushed over Paunovic. Valencia themselves only created any scoring opportunities late in the half, with Carew failing twice to get on the end of crosses and Mendieta shooting just wide. Carew was even more isolated in the second half, and Cúper quickly put on reinforcements for his leg-weary troops, taking off Angulo, Juan Sánchez and then a worn out Mendieta.

Still Oviedo came forward, with Oli frustrated by Cañizares on a couple of occasions and Gaspar hitting a post. With five minutes to go Iturralde González sent off Pellegrino when he brought down young substitute Raúl with a late high tackle, but it was too late to take much advantage and Valencia held on to the end. They catch up a point on second placed Deportivo, but were hoping to have done better. Oviedo drop to within two points of the relegation zone, and with the bottom clubs getting results they could soon be down in the bottom three. If that happens Antic could be the next manager to fall, especially as he has been very critical of the club's inability to provide funds for new players. There's trouble brewing in the Principality of Asturias.