Madrid: Casillas; Arbeloa, Pepe, Raúl
Albiol, Marcelo; Khedira (Kaká 71'), Xabi Alonso; Benzema, Özil
(Callejón 83'), Cristiano Ronaldo; Higuaín (Di María 46').
4-2-3-1.
Valencia: Guaita; Ricardo Costa, Rami,
Víctor Ruíz, Jordi Alba; Mehmet Topal, Tino Costa; Feghouli
(Pablo Hernández 62'), Dani Parejo, Piatti (Mathieu 62'); Aduríz
(Soldado 77'). 4-2-3-1.
Goals: None.
Yellow cards: Arbeloa 35', Tino Costa 57', Parejo 64', Soldado 92'.
Real Madrid's lead at the top of the table has been cut to four points this weekend after they were held to a 0-0 draw by Valencia on Sunday evening. Despite the lack of goals it was an intense match, with both sides creating chances, and the two keepers the busiest men on the park. An active Cristiano Ronaldo fired a shot against the post early on and went close a couple of times after that, and the visitors replied with a shot just wide by Feghouli, a couple of long efforts from Tino Costa and Piatti which Casillas kept out, and a header against the post by Ricardo Costa. After the restart Guaita had to be at his best to tip shots from Ronaldo and half time substitute Di María away for corners, and Tino Costa thundered a shot against the bar with the keeper beaten. Mathieu and Benzema just missed the target, Guaita made two brilliant saves from Benzema, Casillas kept out Jordi Alba and Ronaldo had a couple of penalty appeals turned down. The pressure was on until the final whistle, but at the end of the day Madrid had dropped another two points, and Unai Emery's side had picked up an important point which restored their confidence and kept them in third place, a point clear of neighbours Levante in the table.