Valencia 2-2 Real Madrid: Player ratings as Vinicius sends powerful message on Mestalla return

Vinicius Junior fired Real Madrid to a 2-2 draw with Valencia on Saturday evening, sending a powerful message to the fans inside the Mestalla in the process.

Returning to the scene where he was allegedly subjected to abhorrent racist abuse last season, Vinicius raised his fist directly in front of the home fans to celebrate his first goal, which Madrid sorely needed after falling 2-0 down inside the first half.

Vinicius headed home an equaliser midway through the second half, sealing a point for a Madrid side who were otherwise well below par.

Roman Yaremchuk earned himself an early yellow card for a ridiculous late challenge on Aurelien Tchouameni inside the opening minutes, in what was clearly an attempt to send a message that the extravagant visitors would have to fight to get through this game. Rodrygo gleefully returned the message to Jose Gaya but managed to escape a caution.

Things soon calmed down, however, with Madrid dominating possession in search of a chance better than Eduardo Camavinga's hit-and-hope header 17 minutes in.

Against the run of play, it was Valencia who took the lead shortly before the hour mark in strange circumstances. Dimitri Foulquier's looping cross found Fran Perez at the back post and the winger sliced his strike horribly, but fortunately for the hosts, his effort skewed perfectly towards the head of Hugo Duro, who steered home.

Just moments later, Valencia doubled their lead. Dani Carvajal's back-pass was well off target and gleefully intercepted by Yaremchuk, who rounded Andriy Lunin and tapped into an empty net.

Madrid's response was lethargic but they did snatch a goal back with the final kick of the half. Carvajal's deflected cross somehow evaded the hands of the diving Giorgi