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Barcelona toiled away to a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Valencia as goals from Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi secured 3 crucial points to stay ahead of rivals Real Madrid.Billed as second of the most cardinal game remaining for Blaugrana (the other one being away to Atletico), the home side took the lead in as early as 57 seconds when an in-form Suarez latched on to a pass from Messi to unleash a low drive straight into the bottom corner.Thereon, it was the visitors who took control of the game as they created numerous opportunities to equalise and had even won a penalty early on. Valencia, however, spurned their chances and Messi put the final nail in the coffin when he marauded down the Valencia half, after collecting a pass from Neymar, to go one on one with the Diego Alves and eventually tucking the ball away calmly into the net for his 400th Barcelona goal.Here are the 5 talking points from the game.
#1 Valencia deserved alteast a point from this game
Playing Valencia is always going to be difficult, be it at home or away and Barcelona know it very well. After the opener by Suarez, the visitors laid down the law from there on and pegged the home team back by their high pressing game.
Valencia enjoyed greater possession in the opening 45 minutes and also created the better chances going forward. Parejo’s tame effort from the penalty spot did not dent their confidence as Rodrigo, Paco Alacer and Andre Gomes were absolutely menacing, troubling the Barca defence no end.
In the second half, the visitors dropped deep, allowing Barca to have the ball and attempting to attack on the counter. Although they put up an equally valiant performance in the closing half of the game, a moment of recklessness allowed an unmarked Messi to fire home the second of the evening, thereby ending all hopes of a draw.
Valencia lost the game, but for all their courageous efforts, deserved to leave the pitch with a point or two.
#2 Adriano shows Enrique why he belongs to the bench
Barcelona fullback Adriano Correia, despite all his versatility in playing as a left-back as well as a right-back, is rarely handed a start considering the numerous options Luis Enrique has at his disposal in both of those positions. With Jordi Alba rested for the tie after his exertions in the mid-week game against PSG, the Brazilian was given a nod and was deployed as a left-back and had a harrowing time which manager Enrique cut-off by subbing him off at half time.
Adriano made several needless fouls that granted Valencia the free-kicks and was eventually booked at one point. Adriano was completely overrun by Sofiane Feghouli on the right and barely made an impact in fending off Valencia defenders.
He was substituted at half-time in place of Ivan Rakitic and Barca looked far better off without him. There’s an old adage which goes, ‘make hay while the sun shines’. Adriano probably is obscure to it.
#3 Valencia must keep hold of Otamendi
Argentina international Nicolas Otamendi has several admirers across Europe and if reports are anything to go by, then Manchester United are lining up a bid for the Valencia defender this summer. But after his performance today, they might just resist him selling.
Otamendi put up a sensational performance at the back and did not make it easy for Barca attackers to score. As the home team began to grow in the second half, Otamendi stood like a bulwark, foiling one Barcelona attack after another and also caused difficulties to them in set-piece situations on either end of the pitch.
Otamendi is a versatile player with a great set of offensive and defensive skills. No wonder he’s become a hot property in the market. However, it would be really a sagacious move by Valencia to stick to him as he can prove to be a great asset in their quest for Champions League football in the next season.
#4 Enrique\'s initial tactics backfire but a reshuffling saved him the blushes
Luis Enrique deployed a 3-man midfield of Javier Mascherano, Sergio Busquets and Xavi. An unusual pairing but it seemed, although only in the initial stages, to work as it was Busquets who punted the ball in the path of Messi that sparked the Suarez goal. But just a few minutes later, they found themselves at the back foot as Valencia pressed high and threw the home side into a tizz.
Their relentless surges forward squeezed Barca inwards and that prevented them from creating chances in the first half. Noticing this, the Andalusian tinkered a bit with the initial formation. He brought on Ivan Rakitic for Adriano and switched Mascherano in the back four. The reshuffling did see a change in Barca’s game as, in the second half, they comfortably drifted forward and gained control of the game.
#5 Yet another milestone for Lionel Messi
The Barcelona star added yet another feather to his cap as he takes his Barcelona tally to a record 400 goals. The twinkle-toed Argentine was graceful as always and was a constant threat to the Valencia defence.
Messi started off the evening on a bright note when he assisted the opener for Luis Suarez with a neat chip that Uruguayan would go on to convert coolly. He then tried to get one of his own several times in the game but was ultimately rewarded for all his efforts in the dying embers of the game when he whizzed down the half way line, straight to the keeper Diego Alves and chipped the ball in for his landmark goal.
The goal was his 400th for Barcelona, making him the first player in the club’s history to reach the tally.
