Valencia equaliser two minutes after going down to 10 men to draw a heated first leg of their Europa League last-16 tie at home to Werder Bremen.
Torsten Frings gave Bremen the lead after 24 minutes when he converted a controversial penalty.
Things got worse for the hosts when playmaker Ever Banega was shown a straight red card in the 55th minute, but Juan Mata quickly brought them level.
Bremen midfielder Tim Borowski nearly gifted the Spaniards the lead in the ninth minute by almost heading into his own goal.
Valencia's short passing game looked dangerous, but Bremen were defending stoutly and they took the lead midway through the first-half, although there was a touch of fortune about the goal.
Referee Martin Atkinson awarded a debatable penalty as Claudio Pizarro was fouled in the area by Banega. Bremen captain Frings took the responsibility of taking the penalty and struck it calmly to the to the right past Valencia keeper Cesar Sanchez.
Unai Emery's team responded strongly to going a goal down, Banega and David Villa both blasting over the crossbar shortly before the half-hour mark.
Bremen defender Petri Pasanen then had to be alert to clear a dangerous cross to Pablo Hernandez, while Banega struck the left upright in the 33rd minute.
Bremen might have doubled their lead five minutes after the restart, though, as Sanchez made a fine save to keep out Pizarro's fierce 16-yard shot. Just seconds later at the other end Hernandez shot over the bar from four yards out.
Valencia received a further blow as they went a man down in the 55th minute, Banega shown a straight red for clashing with Marko Marin.
But the hosts levelled just two minutes later after a scramble in the Bremen area.
Defender Per Mertesacker blocked David Silva's shot from five yards, but Mata reacted quicker to the loose ball than Clemens Fritz and poked home the equaliser.
Despite being a man down, Valencia continued to push forward and create chances.
But Bremen keeper Tim Wiese made a spectacular save with 12 minutes left to deny Silva from just four yards to give Bremen the advantage heading into the second leg.