Bad blood would-be derby kicks off the new La Liga campaign as Valencia scrape three points

Valencia overcame a third-minute red card to beat Getafe 1-0 in a bruising opening game in Spain's La Liga on Friday. These two clubs, although not rivals in a traditional sense, have developed a strange rivalry in recent years. Their matches tend to have clouds of controversy surrounding them and this one was no different.

Defender Hugo Guillamon was given a straight red for a dangerous tackle on Getafe's Serbian midfielder Nemanja Maksimovic. After the referee consulted a video replay, it was the fastest sending off in the history of Liga season openers.

The foul itself had been committed after just 39 seconds of the game. Eight minutes after Guillamon's dismissal, Valencia were ahead.

Russian winger Denis Cheryshev was brought down in the penalty area and Carlos Soler tucked away the spot-kick.

"It was not the game we wanted, because going a man down in the third minute is not the best situation. Hugo is not at fault. I don't know if it was a red. These are things that happen in football and you learn from them. When he left the pitch I told him that we were going to win for him, and we achieved that."

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Valencia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, on loan from Dinamo Tbilisi, pulled off two fine saves late in the game to deny Getafe an equalising goal.

Getafe's misery was completed when Erick Cabaco was sent off for a second yellow card in the 76th minute.

LA LIGA - Round 1

Friday

Valencia - Getafe 1-0 (1-0)

/Soler 11 pen/

Saturday

20.30: (3.05) Mallorca (3.25) Betis (2.40)

20.30: (2.80) Cadiz (3.00) Levante (2.75)

23.00: (2.40) Osasuna (3.10) Espanyol (3.20)

23.00: (7.00) Alaves (4.30) Real Madrid (1.47)

18.30: (3.80) Celta (3.20) Atl.Madrid (2.10)

21.00: (1.80) Barcelona (3.60) Sociedad (4.60)

23.15: (1.50) Sevilla (4.10) Rayo Vallecano (7.00)

Monday

21.00: (1.57) Villareal (4.00) Granada (6.00)

23.00: (3.80) Elche (3.10) Ath.Bilbao (2.15)

***odds are subject to change