FC Barcelona vs Valencia CF : full highlights
Barcelona’s stuttering title bid suffered another setback when they lost 2-1 at home in the Barcelona vs Valencia CF encounter on Sunday, while Atlético Madrid moved level on points with the La Liga leaders after a comfortable win over Granada.
FC Barcelona vs Valencia CF : full highlights
Shell-shocked Barça have 76 points along with Atlético Madrid, who knocked the holders out of the Champions League clash in midweek, and remain top only due to the superior head-to-head record.
Atlético earlier eased to a 3-0 home win over Granada after Fernando Torres scored his fourth goal in as many games with Koke and substitute Angel Correa also on the scorecard.
Real Madrid keep pressure on leaders Barcelona with easy victory at Getafe.
Real Madrid, whose coach Zinedine Zidane said in February that the title race was virtually over, thrashed Getafe 5-1 away on Saturday and stand just one point behind the leading teams.
An own goal by Barça midfielder Ivan Rakitic put Valencia ahead after 27 minutes of the Barcelona vs Valencia CF clash at the Camp Nou and Santi Mina added a second just before half-time to stun the Barça supporters unexpectedly.
Lionel Messi scored his 500th career goal to reduce the pressing deficit after 64 minutes of the Barcelona vs Valencia match but the struggling hosts, who have squandered a nine-point lead, could not find an efficient equaliser.
Santi Mina increased the visiting side’s formal advantage just before half-time, receiving a pass from Dani Parejo and then beating Bravo at the far post with a powerful driven effort.
Messi then turned in a low cross from Jordi Alba to end a drought of five games without scoring and finally net his 500th career goal, but a second proved elusive for the hosts ultimately.
“We were better than Valencia in every aspect apart from effectiveness. We’ve dropped three points that we could have taken fairly but football is like that,” added Luis Enrique.
