In a pulsating clash at an undisclosed venue, Valencia edged past Espanyol 3-2 in a thriller. The home side took the lead in the 15th minute through Hugo Duro's strike, assisted by Lass Beltran. However, Espanyol equalized in the second half as Rubén Terrats found the net, assisted by Kike García.

Valencia regained the lead in the 59th minute when Eray Cömert scored, set up by Arnaut Danjuma. But the visitors refused to go down without a fight, and in the 79th minute, an own goal by Valencia's Jaume Domènech leveled the scores. The drama wasn't over, as in the 90th minute, Valencia's Lassana Ramazani scored from the penalty spot to seal the victory for the home team.

The key reason behind Valencia's win was their clinical finishing. Despite enjoying just 47% of ball possession and mustering 10 shots compared to Espanyol's 16, they scored three goals from their five shots on target. In contrast, Espanyol's profligacy in front of goal proved costly, as they managed to convert only two of their six shots on target.

Tactically, Espanyol's undoing was their inability to cope with Valencia's counterattacking threat. The visitors dominated possession but were caught out on the break, leading to the home team's second and third goals. This tactical vulnerability ultimately cost Espanyol the match.