Record-breaking Barca back on track after beating Valencia

Soccer Football - La Liga Santander - FC Barcelona vs Valencia - Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain - April 14, 2018 Barcelona's Paulinho and Luis Suarez celebrate after teammate Samuel Umtiti scores their second goal REUTERS/Albert Gea

BARCELONA (Reuters) - Barcelona responded to their shock Champions League elimination to AS Roma by beating Valencia 2-1 on Saturday in a subdued atmosphere at the Nou Camp, setting a Liga record run of 39 games unbeaten and taking them ever closer to another title.

Luis Suarez gave Barca the lead after a quarter of an hour by meeting a delicious outside-of-the-foot pass from former Liverpool teammate Philippe Coutinho, scoring with one touch from close range.

Soccer Football - La Liga Santander - FC Barcelona vs Valencia - Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain - April 14, 2018 Barcelona's Luis Suarez reacts REUTERS/Albert Gea

Club-record signing Coutinho then delivered an outswinging corner from which Samuel Umtiti headed in Barca's second in the 51st minute, shortly after Gerard Pique had saved Umtiti's blushes by clearing a shot from Valencia forward Santi Mina off the line following a slip by the France defender.

Captain Dani Parejo pulled a goal back for third-placed Valencia by squeezing an 87th-minute penalty under Barca goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen, but the Catalans withstood an exciting final spell to move effectively to within seven points of their 25th league title.

Ernesto Valverde's side lead nearest challengers Atletico Madrid by 14 points in the standings, with Atletico hosting Levante and fourth-placed Real visiting basement club Malaga on Sunday.

Soccer Football - La Liga Santander - FC Barcelona vs Valencia - Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain - April 14, 2018 Barcelona's Jordi Alba in action with Valencia's Rodrigo REUTERS/Albert Gea

(Reporting by Richard Martin,; Editing by Neville Dalton)

Soccer Football - La Liga Santander - FC Barcelona vs Valencia - Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain - April 14, 2018 Barcelona's Luis Suarez celebrates scoring their first goal REUTERS/Albert Gea

Soccer Football - La Liga Santander - FC Barcelona vs Valencia - Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain - April 14, 2018 Valencia's Jose Luis Gaya in action with Barcelona's Philippe Coutinho REUTERS/Albert Gea

Soccer Football - La Liga Santander - FC Barcelona vs Valencia - Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain - April 14, 2018 Barcelona's Samuel Umtiti scores their second goal past Valencia's Neto REUTERS/Albert Gea

Soccer Football - La Liga Santander - FC Barcelona vs Valencia - Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain - April 14, 2018 Valencia's Daniel Parejo scores their first goal from the penalty spot past Barcelona's Marc-Andre ter Stegen REUTERS/Albert Gea

Soccer Football - La Liga Santander - FC Barcelona vs Valencia - Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain - April 14, 2018 Barcelona players celebrate after the match REUTERS/Albert Gea