Valladolid beats fellow struggler Valencia to move off the bottom of La Liga

MADRID — Real Valladolid beat Valencia 1-0 and rose off the bottom of La Liga on Friday.

Moroccan forward Anuar scored with a solo effort after 19 minutes.

“It's a sense of relief because we needed the three points,” Anuar said on broadcaster DAZN. “It was like a final, and fortunately, we managed to come out on top.”

Valladolid's Juanmi Latasa was sent off 12 minutes from time after a video review showed he used an elbow, but the home side managed to hold on for the win against a toothless rival.

It was a welcome three points for caretaker coach Álvaro Rubio and his first since replacing Paulo Pezzolano, who was fired at the start of December.

Valencia replaced Valladolid on the bottom of the table. Valencia has only two wins in 15 league games, but two games in hand.