LaLiga: Champions Barcelona held at Valencia
LaLiga champions Barcelona dropped more points in the Spanish title race in a tense 1-1 draw at Valencia on Saturday.
Xavi Hernandez’s side moved third, a point clear of Atletico Madrid, but trail Real Madrid by four and shock leaders Girona by six, having played one game more than all three sides.
Atletico fell 2-0 at Athletic Bilbao earlier on Saturday but the Catalans could not take full advantage in an entertaining clash on the east coast.
Joao Felix sent Barcelona ahead in the second half after a slick team move, but Hugo Guillamon’s fine strike pegged them back.
Barcelona have won just one of their last four league matches, including being ripped apart by a rampant Girona last weekend at home.
They were further shaken by a midweek Champions League defeat by Belgian minnows Royal Antwerp, which created further questions over Xavi’s management even though the Catalans were already through to the last 16.
In the subsequent days, club figures, including president Joan Laporta, showed him support, ahead of what Spanish media billed a ‘final’ at Valencia’s rowdy Mestalla stadium.
As in Barca’s defeat by Girona, the game flowed from end-to-end, a consequence of the champions starting without a pure holding midfielder.
Inaki Pena made a good early save to deny Roman Yaremchuk, while Valencia’s Giorgi Mamardashvili stopped an acrobatic Robert Lewandowski effort.
Pedri fired over and Lewandowski sent a meek chipped attempt into the Valencia goalkeeper’s hands.
The visitors took the lead 10 minutes into the second half, putting together a superb move finished by Felix from point-blank range.
Frenkie de Jong’s delightful pass played in Raphinha, who put the ball on a plate for the Portuguese forward to tap home.
Mamardashvili made a brilliant save from a Raphinha thunderbolt only a couple of minutes before Valencia struck.
Ronald Araujo, perhaps still worried about a recent face fracture he suffered, allowed a ball to bounce instead of clearing his lines, and Guillamon capitalised.
The midfielder found the top corner from the edge of the box to put Ruben Baraja’s team level.
Substitute Ferran Torres missed a golden opportunity to put Barcelona back in front when De Jong found him with another neat lobbed ball, but the Spaniard’s volley lacked conviction.
Mamardashvili also denied Raphinha well and Araujo drove wide as Barcelona pushed for a winner in the final stages, but it did not come.
The draw takes Valencia 10th, with Baraja’s side significantly more solid than last season when they battled relegation.
Leaders Girona host Alaves on Monday, after Real Madrid welcome Villarreal on Sunday.
