MADRID (AFP) - Valencia's European hangover spread to the league with Luis Garcia scoring an 80th minute winner as Espanyol won 2-1 at the Mestalla on Saturday.

A 2-1 defeat to Chelsea in the Champions League on Wednesday had deflated confidence in the Valencia camp but five successive league wins meant they could have gone top of the table with victory over Espanyol.

Captain Ruben Baraja gave Valencia the perfect start scoring after just four minutes but Albert Riera, called into the Spain squad for the first time this week, produced a brilliant equaliser on 20 minutes before Garcia struck his fourth goal of the season late on to deepen Valencia's misery.

It was Espanyol's first victory at Valencia's Mestalla Stadium since 2001 and Valencia, only a point behind leaders Real, must now regroup.

Valencia handed a league debut to giant Serbian striker Nikola Zigic, a towering 6ft 7in, who joined from Racing Santander for 18 million euros in the summer.

Zigic's mere presence seemed to unsettle the Espanyol rearguard and in the fourth minute they took the lead with Baraja sneaking in behind Zigic to power in a header from David Villa's corner.

Villa almost doubled Valencia's lead in the 12th minute with Cameroon goalkeeper Idress Kameni producing a great point blank save.

Six minutes later Villa hobbled off with an injury to his left ankle that will concern Spanish coach Luis Aragones ahead of Spain's vital Euro 2008 qualifier against Denmark next Saturday.

Aragones called Espanyol midfielder Riera into the squad for the first time this week and he showed why with a fantastic goal on 20 minutes.

Riera controlled the ball expertly on his chest and smashed a left-footed volley home for the equaliser.

Raul Tamudo hit the post for Espanyol sixty seconds later with Valencia's defence all at sea.

Substitute Joaquin went close for Valencia late on but Kameni was in fine fettle and denied his volleyed effort.

Then ten minutes from time Garcia hit the winner through Timo Hildebrand's legs to send the away supporters into wild celebrations as their team moved up to fifth three points behind Real.

Real are in action against Recreativo Huelva on Sunday as they look to build on their best start since 1991.

After a slow start Barcelona, two points behind Real, are starting to motor and they host Atletico Madrid on Sunday in the game of the weekend.

The match has been billed as the clash of the Argentine Wunderkinds with Barcelona's Lionel Messi and Atletico's Kun Aguero, the leading scorers in the Spanish championship, going head-to-head.

Villarreal, one point behind Real, are also in action at Osusana as they look to extend their impressive run of 13 wins from 14 matches.