The goal is a mystery for this Barcelona, ??which is leaving pieces of the League in the fields it visits. A little piece in Getafe, another in Granada, a piece in Vallecas and one more fragment in Mestalla. Thus, without visitor consistency, the title becomes increasingly difficult for them. In Valencia, Xavi’s Barça had an aesthetic but very inefficient performance. This time it was not the slump in the game or the defensive gap that condemned him, but rather the lack of aim. Their forwards are not going through a good streak, especially Lewandowski, dry and denied at Mestalla.
The Blaugrana played brilliantly but missed one chance after another against Mamardashvili, whom only João Félix could beat at will. However, when it seemed that the Barcelona fans had done the most difficult thing, they had to remember the unfinished plays because Guillamón hit a shot at Iñaki Peña’s squad. Before and after the tie, Barça was able to score the second and was left with the desire and the face of knowing that the victory had eluded them in a theoretical final.
The nerves of the environment and the tension of Xavi’s responses contrasted with the calm of João Félix in the area. With all the parsimony in the world, he went towards the ball that Raphinha left him on a plate and, with no one around to bother him, he pushed it into the net. It was an important goal but he didn’t celebrate it. A nerve that was also missing from the defense to cover Guillamón at 1-1.
Valencia is not doing well. Especially when they are missing three starters like Gayà (injured), Paulista and Javi Guerra (suspended). In fact, for Guillamón and Jesús Vázquez it was his first start in the League in Baraja’s team. It was normal that Mestalla gave a very long ovation to David Silva, already retired and honored before the start. Any past tense is better for Peter Lim’s club.
And yet, the locals had the first chance and forced Iñaki Peña to show off before the minute and a half of the game. There are things that do not change. And almost like Antwerp, Valencia was about to score, taking advantage of the fact that the Blaugrana were stunned by a throw-in that they were not clear about who it was for. The Valencians were smarter and put the ball into play, catching the entire Barça defense off guard. Diego López crossed and Yaremchuk’s shot had to be sent to a corner by the goalkeeper.
Soon the game changed the area and from seeing a lot of Iñaki Peña, Mamardashvili began to have danger close to him. Aware of certain recent deficiencies, we saw a more intense, brave and aggressive Barcelona. The reaction in terms of attitude was noticeable, with the players hurt in their pride and with some fresh pieces after having rested in the Champions League. Above all, Xavi recovered Araújo and Frenkie de Jong, two of the leaders.
With the Dutchman on the field, the coach decided to advance Gündogan a lot, almost level with Lewandowski, which gave Barça more space to get out from behind (Pepelu could no longer press) and also the arrival of the German. The Blaugrana moved into the opposite field and found, as it had been a long time since they had passed their number nine, that he was very present in the game and not very successful in the shot.
Football things, perhaps the game in which the Polish striker played the best and intervened the most was the one in which his team missed having a finisher the most. This time his shots were well directed but he always found the Georgian goalkeeper. Lewandowski tried it with a long shot, with a great scissors shot and with a Vaseline but Mamardashvili’s response was to deny him the goal three times.
Neither the forwards nor the midfielders because, in two shots from the front, neither Gündogan nor Pedri found the goal. As against Girona, Barcelona had chances in the first half and did not take advantage of them in a stadium where Valencia had only conceded three goals.
This Barça always goes in parts, which can never be complete. When the construction works, it lacks punch and efficiency and when it seems like it can have fun, it ends up making mistakes in defense. It was exactly what happened to them after the restart, which could not have started better for their interests with the score at 0-1. A great pass from above and to the outside from De Jong left Raphinha in a great position after the Brazilian’s deep unmarking, who was not selfish but gave the goal to João Félix.
It seemed that the game could be peaceful right in a square that usually isn’t. The team was comfortable, waiting for an opportunity to sentence. But then life got complicated with a play where the defense opened wide when Hugo Guillamón hit a ball. The midfielder approached the area and no one came in his way, until he loaded his leg and sent a shot into the net.
With little, Valencia had tied a match that Barça had dominated and played almost at will. But the talent above is not with him. And he proved himself again when the visitors tried to remedy the mess they had gotten themselves into. Ferran Torres, on the first ball he touched, crashed into Mamardashvili and the Georgian goalkeeper made himself big in a one-on-one against Raphinha who got drunk with the ball, thought too much and ended up kicking the dummy.
The epic was missing, which worked in Anoeta, for example. Not this time, because Araújo’s long-range attempt went wide and Raphinha’s center sailed through the small area without anyone scoring it. It was the summary of a Barça burdened by not having a goal and where the opportunist Marc Guiu did not even play. Xavi only made two changes.
Valencia: Mamardashvili, Thierry, Mosquera, Diakhaby, Jesús Vázquez (Yarek 81), Fran Pérez (Amallah 73), Hugo Guillamón, Pepelu, Diego López (Foulquier 81), Yaremchuk (Canós 62) and Hugo Duro (Marí 81).
Coach: Rubén Baraja
Barcelona: Iñaki Peña, Cancelo, Araújo, Kounde, Balde, Gündogan (Lamine Yamal 81), Frenkie de Jong, Pedri, Raphinha, João Felix (Ferran Torres 73) and Lewandowski.
Coach: Xavi Hernández
Stadium: Mestalla (46,442 spectators).
Referee: Ortiz Arias (Madrid).
Cards: Showed yellow card to Fran Pérez, from Valencia, and Frenkie de Jong and Cancelo from Barça.
Goals: 0-1 João Félix (55), 1-1 Guillamón (70).
