Already assured of a sixth-placed finish, Betis were looking to generate some momentum ahead of next week’s UEFA Conference League final against Chelsea.
Manuel Pellegrini’s side were on top early, but creating clear-cut chances proved difficult for the hosts, who had to wait until the 25th minute for their first shots on target when Isco was denied twice in quick succession.
Undeterred, Betis finally managed to find a breakthrough with 40 minutes on the clock.
Antony kept his cool after receiving the ball from Isco just inside the penalty area, and bent a perfect left-footed effort just inside the far post to give his side the lead while ending a run of three scoreless outings.
A quiet restart was perhaps symptomatic of an end-of-season game between sides with little to play for, though Valencia retained an outside chance of a top-half finish.
Those hopes were kept alive by a stunning save from Giorgi Mamardashvili, who leapt to his right to claw Abde Ezzalzouli’s shot away from the top corner.
That stop proved even more crucial 15 minutes from time, when Rafa Mir latched onto Andre Almeida’s pass to drill his first-time strike into the bottom corner to score his first LaLiga goal for the club.
Armed with the momentum, Carlos Corberan’s men pushed for a winner in the closing stages, but ultimately they had to settle for a draw, which means they end the season without a win in three matches.
It was also a seventh successive visit to Betis without a win, with the hosts’ focus firmly trained on their Conference League final with Chelsea next week.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Antony (Real Betis)