Málaga: Willy Caballero; Jesús Gámez, Sergio Sánchez, Flavio Ferreira, Antunes; Tissone, Camacho; Samuel (Pablo Pérez 64’), Duda (Portillo 81’), Eliseu (Juanmi 78’); Santa Cruz. 4-2-3-1.
Valencia: Diego Alves; Joao Pereira, Ricardo Costa, Mathieu, Guardado; Dani Parejo (Feghouli 63’), Oriol Romeu; Banega, Jonas (Hélder Postiga 80’), Piatti; Paco Alcácer. 4-2-3-1.
Goals: None.
Yellow cards: Mathieu 16’, Eliseu 27’, Oriol Romeu 42’, Piatti 65’, Paco Alcácer 69’.
The second half of the season kicked off with a 0-0 draw between Málaga and Valencia on Friday night, a result which takes Valencia up to eighth pending the rest of the weekend games, and leaves their hosts still three points behind them in the table. If there were no goals though it was only thanks to brilliant displays by both goalkeepers, Diego Alves saving twice from Samuel early on, and then pushing a Duda free kick around the post, and Willy Caballero keeping out a Dani Parejo free kick, and the follow up from Jonas. Piatti and Jonas also went close in the first half, and after the interval Caballero had to be at his best to save from Parejo and Jonas again. Alves responded with stops from Santa Cruz and new signing Pablo Pérez, and with twenty minutes to go Ricardo Costa did get the ball in the net from a wide Piatti free kick only for the strike to be ruled out for the positional offside of Jonas. A game without goals, but certainly not lacking for action.