Madrid: Valencia moved ahead of Real Madrid into fourth in La Liga as Simone Zaza’s winner five minutes from time edged a thrilling 3-2 win at Real Sociedad on Sunday.
However, it was all too much for Valencia manager Marcelino who pulled his hamstring in celebrating the winner.
Three times Valencia took the lead in San Sebastian, whilst both sides were also reduced to 10 men in the second-half.
Rodrigo’s early tap in was cancelled out by Aritz Elustondo’s header before half-time.
Nacho Vidal put Valencia back in front but Sociedad, who have now lost three games in a week, battled back through Mikel Oyarzabal’s fine finish.
Igor Zubeldia and Geoffrey Kondogbia both then saw red for second bookable offences to set up a grandstand finish.
And a game of high quality got the ending it deserved as Goncalo Guedes showed excellent vision to pick out Zaza to smash home his fifth goal of the season.
Valencia remain unbeaten in six games since Marcelino took charge after two seasons in the doldrums littered with managerial changes.
In total 20 goals were scored in five La Liga games on Sunday as Espanyol, Getafe and Celta Vigo also celebrated big wins.
Deportivo La Coruna boss Pepe Mel faced calls to resign as the Galicians lost 4-1 at Espanyol to slip into the relegation zone.
Villarreal’s disappointing start to the season also continued as they were blown away after the break in losing 4-0 at Getafe.
Celta thrashed Eibar 4-0 to ease the pressure of former Barcelona assistant coach Eusebio Unzue.
And Leganes are up to sixth thanks to a 2-0 win at Las Palmas.
In Paris, Florian Thauvin sparked Marseille to a 2-0 victory over Toulouse in Ligue 1 on Sunday as home fans voiced their support for stricken former club president Bernard Tapie.
French winger Thauvin forced in the opening goal on 32 minutes at the Stade Velodrome before Lucas Ocampos bundled in a second just past the hour to lift Marseille up to fifth place.
Supporters unfurled a series of banners and chanted “Tapie, Tapie!” to offer encouragement and pay their respects to the 74-year-old who is undergoing treatment in hospital for stomach cancer.
The flamboyant businessman and former cabinet minister under Francois Mitterand served as Marseille president from 1986 to 1994, a spell that included four straight French titles as well as the club’s lone Champions League triumph in 1993.
Thauvin scored his first goal since the opening weekend of the season as the ball broke invitingly for him to stab in at the near post after Ocampos and Toulouse forward Corentin Jean jostled inside the area.
Ocampos turned in a Dimitri Payet corner with his thigh to secure the points for Rudi Garcia’s side who travel to Salzburg on Thursday for their second game of the Europa League group stage.
Paris Saint-Germain laboured to a 0-0 draw on Montpellier on Saturday, dropping points for the first time this season as Neymar missed the trip south with a right foot injury.
Unai Emery said he expects the Brazilian to return in time for Wednesday’s Champions League showdown at home to Bayern Munich.
