Valencia vs Granada. Spanish Copa del Rey Fifth Round.
MestallaAttendance15,000.
Thursday 7 January 2016 07:55, UK
Alvaro Negredo scored a hat-trick, including two second half penalties, as Valencia thrashed Granada 4-0 in the first leg of their Cop del Rey last-16 match on Wednesday.
Negredo has been given a new lease of life under coach Gary Neville and the win was a confidence boost for Valencia, who have yet to pick up a victory in La Liga under the former Manchester United and England defender.
The former Manchester City striker scored his first early on, robbing the ball off Diego Mainz and stroking it into the corner past 'keeper Ivan Kelava after seven minutes.
Rodrigo added the second before half-time, being played in by Santi Mina after some brilliant work from the returning Enzo Perez, with the young striker slotting home in the 35th minute.
Mina laid the second on a plate for Rodrigo Moreno and was then fouled by Uche Agbo, with Negredo scoring the subsequent penalty just after the hour mark.
Negredo scored his third from the spot in the 83rd minute after he himself was fouled by Matheus Doria.
Valencia take a huge advantage into next week's second leg tie at Estadio Nuevo Los Cármenes and face Real Sociedad in La Liga this weekend.
