So Barcelona’s lead at the top of the table is cut to two points, while Valencia edge up to seventh. Gary Neville, fearing a rout after the opening exchanges, can start his tenure on a high after Santi Mina, brilliantly assisted by Paco Alcácer, equalised with minutes to go.
Credit for tonight belongs to Valencia’s patchwork team, well drilled by Voro and Phil Neville, who sat back and soaked up pressure, even at 1-0 down, hoping for a chance. When it came, they took it. As David Moyes has just said, “you’re always in it at only a goal down.” It looks like the Nevilles’ English influence is rubbing off on Valencia already.
Thanks for joining me. Bye!
FT: Valencia 1-1 Barcelona
Full time, and improbably enough, the spoils are shared, with Santi Mina dramatically cancelling out Luis Suárez’s opener just before the hour.
92 mins: Barcelona, desperate to atone for all those missed chances, pour forward, with Alba forcing a corner as Santos cuts out his cross. Piqué is penalised for a shove, and time is almost up.
90 mins: Tropi is on for goalscorer Mina. Suárez skips away from Abdennour, and passes sideways to Messi, but his shot from twenty yards is scooped up by Domenech. Three added minutes.
89 mins: Danilo fires a shot at Bravo as the visitors fail to clear, and the Chilean comes close to spilling it over his own line. Neville watch: Un-bee-lieee-vable.
88 mins: Messi fires a free kick that Domenech claws away from under his crossbar, but Valencia have their tails up, and charge downfield once again. It’s three on three, and Piatti feeds the ball to Bakkali, but it’s slightly behind him, and Bakkali’s awkward cross is punched clear by Bravo.
GOAL! Valencia 1-1 Barcelona (Santi Mina)
From out of nowhere, a hopeful long ball lands on Alcácer’s chest. The No9 has fed on scraps all evening, but holds off Piqué and Mascherano, waits patiently, then slots the ball to his right. Mina is onto it, and smacks it beyond Bravo. The Mestalla erupts!
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84 mins: Alcácer spins into two tussles for the ball, with Piqué and then Alves, and emerges clutching his ankle. No foul given, though. Barcelona work upfield and earn a corner, and Valencia break...
82 mins: Pablo Piatti is on in place of the tireless de Paul. Still no changes from Luis Enrique.
80 mins: Bakkali takes Pique on from the left-hand edge of the area, then attempts a snap shot which balloons inelegantly over the bar. Valencia stepping it up with ten minutes to go.
78 mins: The best chance of the match for Valencia, as Busquets gives the ball away, and de Paul skips past Piqué’s lunge. He has Bakkali in space to his left, but tries an awkward low shot that Bravo saves and holds. Neville watch: puffing out his cheeks.
76 mins: Danilo picks up a booking after forcing Messi to the floor. Barcelona with a free kick 25 yards out, just right of centre. The ball ricochets through to Rakitic, but he’s flagged offside. Incorrectly.
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74 mins: Neymar delivers his party piece, cutting in past Vezo on the left, thirty yards out, and slaloming through the defence, before firing a shot towards Domenech’s top corner. To widespread surprise, he misses.
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72 mins: Bakkali, a summer arrival from PSV, is on in place of Enzo Pérez. Time ticking away, and the Mestalla is as quiet as it’s been all evening.
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70 mins: Suárez, who has been front and centre in the second half, drawing a clumsy foul from Dani Parejo. He’s booked, and will miss Gary Neville’s first league game in charge at Eibar. Gayà also draws the ire of the referee, diving pitifully after edging past his man.
On Suárez, JR in Illinois is unequivocal. “He is just diabolical. No way should he still be on the pitch. I don’t understand how anyone can respect him with the way he conducts himself.”
It wasn’t great – similar to the incident that saw Gabriel sent off against Chelsea. Gabriel, unlike Suárez, was at least a little wound up.
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68 mins: Not a great deal going on, with de Paul and Mina trying to make something happen, but being stymied by a lack of support. Messi has a sniff of goal, but his shot is blocked, and Suárez gives away a free kick after renewing acquaintances with Abdennour.
65 mins: Barcelona are up to 73% possession. Whatever the circumstances, supporters of a club the size of Valencia won’t ever relish being dominated to that extent. Neville watch: Phil is in conversation with Voro; Gary is sending for the big Sky touchscreen.
62 mins: Replays suggest that Suárez was a fraction offside as Messi twirled and played the ball through. There wasn’t an awful lot in it.
60 mins: Valencia push forward in response, and after Dani Parejo sees his half-volley blocked, de Paul beats the sluggish Alba to the rebound. The two players tangle, with Valencia screaming for a penalty – but that would have been extremely soft.
GOAL! Valencia 0-1 Barcelona (Suárez)
Messi swivels and flicks the ball down the right channel, and Suárez is into another battle with Abdennour. He wins it comfortably, and from a tight angle, he lashes the ball inside the near post.
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55 mins: A quiet start to the second half, with Barcelona struggling to match their first half intensity. Abdennour is pointing at Suárez, then to a mark on his arm. Something that happened in that earlier tangle, but not... you know.
53 mins: Suárez is coming to the boil on a frustrating evening, the forward clattering Domenech after an outrageous no-look back flick from Alves sets up a Barcelona attack. No booking, but a talking to from the referee.
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52 mins: de Paul picks out Alcácer with a nicely weighted long pass, and charges upfield for a long-range one-two, but panic sets in and Alcácer surrenders possession.
50 mins: Abdennour is furious with Suárez after an innocuous looking tangle outside the Valencia box. Replays show the striker planting a foot on Abdennour’s instep. He was lucky neither referee nor assistant spotted that.
48 mins: Valencia, who are missing Gomes, Fuego, Feghouli, Cancelo, Mustafi, Negredo and Barragan, among others, are still gamely pressing Barcelona all over the pitch. They can’t get the ball, but the crowd appreciate their enthusiasm.
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Within the first minute, Neymar holds off three defenders and backheels to Suárez, but the striker is a yard offside.
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Your half-time thoughts
“As absolutely fantastic as Barcelona’s attacking trident is, they miss Xavi when the other team sits deep” suggests Kári Tulinius.
“Though I personally think Iniesta is a more imaginative player, having a double pivot of creativity lurking outside the 18-yard box made them harder to predict, and therefore much more difficult for their opponents to defend against all angles of attack.”
I think that’s Ivan Rakitic’s job these days, but he’s been the least productive of Barcelona’s front five so far. He always is when I watch them, but I hear he’s half-decent sometimes.
Garry Bacon has this:
He won eight titles, five domestic cups and the Champions League at Manchester United, but it was pretty good, wasn’t it?
HT: Valencia 0-0 Barcelona
The visitors are dominant, but have lacked their usual cutting edge. Valencia hanging on at half time, but in theory at least, it’s all to play for. Back in a few.
45 mins: Abdennour catches Suárez in the back, conceding a free kick as the Uruguayan clutches his... head. From it, Barcelona switch off, and a tentative Valencia break forces Mascherano into an awkward back pass. Bravo hoofs it clear, and that’s half time.
43 mins: 64% possession, but just one shot on target for Barcelona. I make it two, but who am I to argue. The visitors easing off the gas a little, with half time approaching.
42 mins: Rakitic rakes a long pass towards Iniesta, but it’s badly overhit. Neville watch: starting to fidget.
40 mins: From their own goal kicks, Valencia are walking out in two rows, five yards apart. Messi stays ten yards behind them, minding his own business. It reminds me of this:
38 mins: Iniesta lifts the ball over the Valencia back line to Alba, who squares the ball to Suárez – but Santos is on hand to prod the ball off his boot and behind. Barcelona should be at least 3-0 up.
36 mins: From a corner, Rakitic pelts a shot at Domenech, before the rebound is deflected away. Barcelona not so much knocking on the door as taking a battering ram to it; Valencia are still just about holding on.
34 mins: They’re at it again – Barcelona break at speed, Messi slotting through to Suárez, who skips impetuously over Abdennour. He can shoot, or cross to the waiting Neymar, but does neither, wafting the ball over the Brazilian’s head.
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33 mins: It’s been a while, but Messi, Neymar and Suárez link up beautifully here. Messi prods the ball left to Neymar, who shapes to shoot, then balloons an improbable pass to Suárez, six yards out to the right of goal. The Uruguayan can’t finish though, blazing over the crossbar.
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31 mins: Alcácer leads a charge upfield and hooks a cross towards Pérez, who tussles with Piqué before hurling himself to the floor. Latre isn’t interested. Neville watch: an almost imperceptible shake of the head.
29 mins: De Paul and Gayà link up down the left, with the latter firing a hopeful cross towards Paco Alcácer which Bravo claims comfortably.
28 mins: Mina is again quickest to a 50/50 ball, drawing a high boot from Iniesta. A chance for Valencia to venture out of their own half, but the nerves are showing, with a couple of hopeful hoofs before the move runs out. Iniesta shows them how it’s done, pinging a heatseeker of a through ball to Suárez, who can’t reel it in under pressure.
25 mins: Barcelona work a short corner, and as it’s cleared, eight white shirts stroll out in a straight line. Organised, but rigid, and Neymar exploits the space before showing Vezo up at the byline. He slots the ball to Messi, who fires at Domenech from six yards, and howls in frustration.
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23 mins: Valencia, who are missing several players with injury, are continuing to frustrate Barcelona, with Busquets drilling a low shot well wide of Domenech’s far post.
21 mins: Neymar wriggles free on the left, but his firm cross only finds a white shirt. Iniesta is next to fire in a left-wing cross, with the ball striking Vezo’s forearm, down by his side. A few half-hearted appeals. Barcelona pressing again, but Valencia have upped their defensive game, and Rakitic gives away a cheap foul to ease the pressure.
19 mins: 19-year-old midfielder Danilo gives Busquets the eyes, before outfoxing him with a shimmy that delights the Mestalla. He won’t like that.
17 mins: As soon as Valencia throw a couple of bodies forward, Barcelona can pounce, with Mascherano finding Suárez down the left. He slots the ball to Messi, but his backheeled return pass is hacked away. Seamless rotation from the front three; you wonder how many other players Barcelona actually need out there.
16 mins: A little livelier from the hosts, with Alcácer finding space from the free kick – but the lone striker can’t find a team-mate.
14 mins: Quick thinking from Santi Mina, who sprints to poke the ball beyond Mascherano and lets physics do the rest. It’s a clear obstruction, and Mascherano is booked. Neymar, clipped on the heel moments before, comes back into his own half to harangue the referee.
12 mins: Dani Alves is flagged offside, despite being level with both the assistant and the last defender. Valencia were about to be carved open, there. Neville watch: still impassive in the stands.
11 mins: Neymar has had his fun with Vezo, and lets Messi have a run at the labouring right back. The No10 dances around his marker and toe pokes a cross into the six yard box, but it’s scrambled clear.
9 mins: A first half-chance for Valencia, as Rodrigo de Paul flashes a shot well wide of Bravo’s left-hand post. The respite is temporary, with Barcelona back in home territory in no time.
8 mins: With Valencia camped in the middle of the field, Mascherano looks for Messi with another raking diagonal ball, but it’s overhit.
6 mins: Valencia will need to tighten up, and quickly; Neymar and Suárez exchange passes, with Vezo giving the Brazilian a free run on goal, but he blasts over the bar. For someone who scores so often, he can be wildly inaccurate.
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5 mins: Barcelona’s attacking trident shimmers for the first time, with Messi sweeping the ball wide to Neymar on the left. With Luis Suárez drawing the central defenders, Messi races in to volley just beyond the top corner.
3 mins: A rough-and-tumble start from Valencia, barging Messi off the ball before Enzo Pérez scurries up the left flank, before being crowded out.
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2 mins: Valencia, in white shirts and black shorts, are playing in a 4-5-1, with nominal wingers Mina and De Paul sitting deep in midfield. Barcelona are in yellow with red stripes (just on the back), a shirt much more similar to Valencia’s white than their home one.
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1 min: Barcelona stroke it around midfield, to a chorus of whistles from the crowd, before pinging a diagonal pass that’s out of Jordi Alba’s reach.
Peep!
Referee Santiago Jaime Latre blows his whistle, and Barcelona get the ball rolling.
The players are in the tunnel, with kick-off imminent at a bouncing Mestalla. Predictions? John McEnerney fancies a score draw. I’ll say a narrow defeat for the hosts. Either would be bearable for the new head coach.
Full-time at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea 0-1 Bournemouth. Mercy, mercy me.
Neville watch: The new Valencia head coach is at the Mestalla, watching alongside club chairman Lay Hoon Chan. He’s not in charge of the team tonight though; I can’t stress that enough.
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On Sky, David Moyes is chatting about Gary Neville: “It’s great to see a British coach involved in one of Europe’s top leagues”, says Moyes, not at all bitter. “You have to embrace the culture, but Gary will be fine with that. The most important thing is winning games” he adds, with a rueful smile.
Psst... it’s Chelsea 0-1 Bournemouth. Go and see Lawrence Ostlere, but be sure to come back.
Atlético have won 2-0 at Granada, Diego Godín and Antoine Griezmann with the goals. They stay second, just a point behind Barcelona. Feels like it should be more than that.
The teams in full
Valencia: Domenech; Rúben Vezo, Santos, Abdennour, Gayà; Danilo, Enzo Pérez, Dani Parejo; Mina, de Paul, Alcácer.
Subs: Ryan, Diallo, Tropi, Bakkali, Piatti, Nacho Gil, Villalba.
Barcelona: Bravo; Alves, Piqué, Mascherano, Alba; Busquets, Iniesta, Rakitic; Messi, Neymar, Suárez.
Subs: ter Stegen, Bartra, Munir, Sandro, Adriano, Vermaelen, Samper.
Barcelona team news
Barcelona, who don’t go in for fancy pre-match graphics, have announced their team. Substitutes for both sides to follow shortly.
Valencia team news
Salvador ‘Voro’ González, Valencia’s club delegate, is in charge of first-team business tonight, assisted by Phil Neville. Here’s the team he’s selected, with just two enforced changes from the loss at Sevilla. Rodrigo de Paul and Rúben Vezo replace Javi Fuego and João Cancelo, both suspended after picking up red cards in the defeat that did for former boss Nuno Espírito Santo.
The Valencia team bus has arrived at the Mestalla to a raucous reception.
Required reading
While we wait, get stuck into some quality content. First, Sid Lowe on the challenge awaiting Gary Neville; next, Matthew Taylor calls Neville a ‘confrontational runt’, but brings it back, in the Guardian profile. Let’s not forget about Barcelona: here’s Barney Ronay on their carefree front three.
Preamble
Valencia v Barcelona is one of Spain’s most historic, high-profile fixtures, but the build up, on British shores at least, has centred on a man who will be watching from the stands. Depending on who you ask, Gary Neville’s shock appointment as Valencia head coach is either a cushy short-term gig at an unfeasibly elite European side, or an icy plunge into the deep end at a club divided from the boardroom down. Neville may have checked the fixtures and decided to sit this one out, thanks, but tonight’s result could still rewrite his to-do list.
Valencia are a talented team who have underperformed without due cause all season, with a hard-earned Champions League campaign now hinging on a final group game against Lyon – Neville’s first in charge. Yet they remain just five points off unlikely top four residents Celta Vigo in the La Liga table, and could give the Neville/Neville era an early shot in the arm with a landmark victory tonight.
There’s just one problem: they’re playing Barcelona, who since losing to Sevilla two months ago have gone unbeaten, outscoring their opponents by 38 goals to five, humiliating illustrious names like Real Madrid and Roma along the way. Defeat to this team, who are scampering into the distance in the title race thanks to an absurdly potent front three, would be no disgrace – but tonight’s visitors could pour fresh salt into the wounds Neville has been hired to heal.
Kick off is at 7.30pm GMT, so kick off your shoes and relax your socks. Whatever happens, it’s likely to be entertaining.
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Hello. Niall will be here shortly.
