LaLiga: Villarreal Beats Valencia 2-1, Continues Unbeaten Streak

Ramazani's penalty secures Villarreal narrow win over Valencia

Villarreal beats Valencia 2-1 in intense Derbi de la Comunitat, extending unbeaten H2H streak to 5 games.

Villarreal and Valencia made two substitutions each with 20 minutes left, and the game got scrappier...

Villarreal bounced back with a 2-1 derby win over Valencia, securing their third win in four games. The victory marked a turnaround for Villarreal, while Valencia suffered their third defeat in six league matches.

The game got off to a wild start, with Villarreal being denied a penalty in the first minute after Nicolas Pepe was fouled. Things only got more intense, with Pepe receiving a cut above his eye just five minutes in.

The derby was a bit of a scuffle, with more physicality than attacking flair. In the first 20 minutes, Pape Gueye's free-kick was the only shot that tested the goalkeeper.

Villarreal's Luiz Junior made a crucial save on Umar Sadiq in the 22nd minute, but the visitors got a penalty. Largie Ramazani scored from the spot, netting his second goal in as many games to break the deadlock.

A member of Villarreal's backroom team was sent off after Nicolas Pepe was denied another penalty, fitting the match's intense tone.

Valencia failed to clear a cross, and Santi Comesana tapped home an equaliser on the half-hour, briefly shifting the momentum.

In stoppage time, Ramazani was judged to have blocked Pepe's cross with his arm in the box, giving away a penalty. Pape Gueye scored the decisive goal, calmly converting the spot-kick to turn the game around for Villarreal.

A much brighter start to the second half promised much, and Sergi Cardona perhaps ought to have done better with a low drive that he screwed horribly wide when well placed.

With an hour gone, a congested midfield had kept further chances to a minimum, but Valencia’s dominance of possession offered promise that they could mount a late comeback. 

FT: #VillarrealValencia 2-1

Valencia is yellow tonight. 🟡#LALIGAEASPORTS pic.twitter.com/ndW2fMQsug

— LALIGA English (@LaLigaEN) February 22, 2026

Villarreal and Valencia made two substitutions each with 20 minutes left, and the game got scrappier. Arnaut Danjuma had a chance to level for Valencia with 12 minutes to play, but Luiz Junior made a crucial save.

Villarreal held on for the win, extending their unbeaten head-to-head streak to five league matches (W3, D2). It's also their ninth unbeaten home meeting against Valencia (W7, D2), a record in LaLiga.