Thursday 30 April 2015 22:59, UK
Valencia moved back into the top four after battling to a 1-1 draw away to Rayo Vallecano in La Liga on Thursday.
The result leaves Valencia in the fourth and final Champions League qualifying spot, but they are level on points with fifth-placed Sevilla with four games remaining.
The visitors trailed inside 20 minutes when Adrian Embarba fired home but were handed a route back into the game just after the hour mark when Rayo's Jorge Morcillo was sent off.
The defender was dismissed for denying Andre Gomes a clear goal-scoring opportunity just outside the penalty area, and former QPR man Dani Parejo converted the resulting free-kick.
Valencia had their chances in the second period but their momentum for a winner was hindered with 11 minutes left when Rodrigo was given his marching order for kicking out at Rayo goalkeeper Antonio Rodríguez Martínez after a clash inside the area.
Sevilla won 3-1 at Eibar on Wednesday, but Valencia have the advantage in the head to head, which is used as the tie-breaker between teams who finish level on points rather than goal difference.
Meanwhile, Espanyol heaped more misery upon relegation troubled Granada with a 2-1 win in Los Cármene.
Sergio Garcia grabbed his 13th goal of the campaign to open the scoring before Diego Mainz gave hope to the hosts in their fight for survival with an equaliser on 73 minutes.
However, their push for a late winner left them very open at the back and Albert Montanes broke clear to fire the winner with five minutes remaining.
Granada remain six points from safety.
