At Mestalla, where Valencia had hoped Javier Aguirre’s arrival might begin to steady a difficult season, Villarreal instead turned the closing minutes into another bleak evening for the home side. A 2-1 defeat, sealed in the sixth minute of added time by Georges Mikautadze, left Los Che second from bottom of LaLiga after ten matches.
Valencia had taken the lead shortly before half-time through José Luis García Vaya, who converted a penalty awarded for a foul in the area in the 38th minute. It was a reward out of proportion with the balance of play, as Villarreal had controlled much of the contest from the opening stages.
Stole Dimitrievski made important interventions to keep the visitors out early on, while Gerard Moreno and Ilias Akhomach also went close as Villarreal pressed their advantage. Valencia survived the first-half pressure, then briefly appeared to have found the platform for a much-needed result.
The pattern did not change after the interval. Villarreal continued to pin the hosts back and finally found their equaliser in the 69th minute, when Alex Freeman struck to make it 1-1. Aguirre’s side were then left trying to protect a point rather than build on their earlier lead.
The match became more chaotic in stoppage time, when a confrontation produced one dismissal for each team. Villarreal retained possession through the disorder and prevented Valencia from mounting a final response. Mikautadze then delivered the decisive blow in the 96th minute, completing the visitors’ late turnaround.
Valencia’s difficult autumn
The result leaves Valencia in 19th place in the 2026/27 Spanish league campaign, with six points from ten games. Their overall record stands at one win, three draws and six defeats, while Aguirre is still waiting for his first victory since taking charge.
Valencia’s next assignment takes them away from the Mediterranean coast and into the Copa del Rey. They will visit UE Tavernes on Wednesday 25 October in the first round, with Aguirre searching for a result that can offer some relief after Villarreal’s painful finish in the city.
