Barcelona vs Valencia
La Liga leaders Barcelona bounced back in emphatic fashion last weekend after suffering their first league defeat this season the previous weekend. They face a stern test on Sunday against a Valencia side who also made a return to winning ways after badly losing to Real Madrid.
Valencia ended a miserable week on a high when they came from behind to snatch a 3-2 win at struggling 10-man Deportivo that lifted them to fifth in La Liga last Saturday. They suffered a humiliating 5-0 drubbing at home to Real Madrid two weeks ago and were dumped out of the cup by the same opponents in Wednesday’s quarter-final second leg. Saturday’s much-needed but rather unconvincing victory against the league’s bottom club kept them in seventh place, above city rivals Levante on goal difference. Through to the last 16 of the Champions League to face Paris St Germain, Valencia had the perfect start at the Riazor when Jonas nodded them in front with barely 30 seconds on the clock. However, Deportivo levelled with a header in the 32nd minute and then put the home side in front in first-half added time. Deportivo were reduced to 10 men early in the second half and Nelson Valdez made it 2-2 just after the hour. Defender Ricardo Costa headed in Valencia’s injury-time winner to cap a 3-2 fight back victory. Valencia will return home where they have a strong home record of seven wins from 11 matches, losing three of those games.
Lionel Messi hit four goals for leaders Barcelona as the world’s best player took his league tally for the season to 33 and 202 overall in Barca’s 5-1 win at home to 10-man Osasuna. Barca’s return to winning ways after a 3-2 loss at Real Sociedad, their first defeat of the campaign, put them 11 points clear of second-placed Atletico Madrid who dropped points by losing to Athletic Bilbao. Champions Real Madrid, whose hopes of a second straight title are effectively over with 21 of 38 matches played, are 25 points behind Barca in third spot. Before travelling to Valencia, Barca will have to face Madrid in the semi-finals of the Spanish Cup on Wednesday. Messi has scored more goals himself than all the other La Liga teams apart from Real and Atletico and is on course to smash the record for the most in a season (50) he set last term. Barca’s star studded midfield of Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Cesc Fabregas and Sergio Busquets have been tremendous this season and have also been the key factor in Messi getting so many goals. Fabregas has scored six times this season and leads the team assists with nine. Xavi has scored five and assisted on four this season while Iniesta has only tallied one goal but has eight assists. Barca have won 10 of their 11 away matches, scoring 37 goals. That’s an average of over three goals per game.
The last time Barcelona lost to Valencia in the league was seven years ago. Valencia did give Barca a hard time in the reverse fixture with Barca winning only 1-0. However, if Real Madrid can win 5-0 at the Mestalla then there’s little doubt Barca will claim three points as well.
