Valencia close gap on Madrid

Vicente fired Valencia to an important 3-0 win over Deportivo La Coruna at the Mestalla to complete a bad night for Primera Liga leaders Real Madrid.

Madrid, the defending champions, drew at Racing Santander and also lost Ronaldo to injury.

Vicente scored two goals, made the third and also hit the woodwork twice on a night when he tore Deportivo apart as Valencia claimed a well deserved win.

The result leaves Valencia six points behind Madrid and all but ended Depor’s hopes as they have fallen 10 points behind.

Racing’s El Sardinero stadium is proving to be an unhappy ground for Madrid, who found themselves on the wrong end of a 2-0 result there last season.

And luck once again deserted Madrid as Yossi Benayoun cancelled out Santiago Solari’s opener to give the hosts a welcome point after losing four of their last five matches.

Madrid played without Raul because of an ankle problem, and Ronaldo limped off in the second half with a thigh injury.

The team’s club doctor said after the match that the Brazilian striker would not play on Wednesday against Bayern Munich in the Champions League.

Bayern travel to the Bernabeu after the first match of the last 16 tie ended 1-1.

“The impression is that he will be out for the next two or three games,” said Doctor Alfonso del Corral.

“For a start, he will not play against Bayern, Zaragoza and probably he’ll be out of the final of the Copa del Rey.”