Valencia left Barcelona’s double dream in tatters at the Benito Villamarin with a stirring 2-1 Copa del Rey final performance in the heat of Seville on Saturday night.
It was no secret in the build-up to the game that they were studying Liverpool’s Anfield demolition of Ernesto Valverde’s side but no-one expected them to produce an equally rousing and ruthless performance.
In the first 45 minutes they nullified Lionel Messi who looked lost in a forest of white shirted defenders without his pal Luis Suarez, watching injured from the stands.
The opener finally came on 22 minutes when Barcelona were undone by Valencia’s G-Force. Gabriel played a brilliant cross-field pass out to Jose Gaya and when he crossed Gameiro had time and space on the edge of the area.
Jordi Alba eventually dived into avert the danger but the French forward spun away from him before burying a shot past Cillessen.
Valencia doubled their lead on 33 minutes and it was Rodrigo who got the goal. The ball was played over the top of Jordi Alba and he was done for pace and power by Carlos Soler. The Spain left back’s nightmare performance against Liverpool still seems to be haunting him. Soler’s cross was so good that Rodrigo just had to get his head to it. His run was perfect and he planted his forehead to make it 2-0.
Barcelona managed a late first-half flurry with shots from Ivan Rakitic and Messi finally giving Jaume Domenech something to do but they deservedly went down the tunnel 2-0 down at the break.
Lionel Messi scored in the 73rd minute to pull a goal back for Barcelona but it wasn't enough to prevent defeat
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