First Division - Day 9

Valencia 2 - Barcelona 3

Valencia: Diego Alves; Montoya (Munir 46‘), Garay, Mangala, Gayà (Abdennour 38‘); Enzo Pérez, Mario Suárez; Cancelo, Dani Parejo, Nani; Rodrigo (Santi Mina 71’). 4-2-3-1.
Barcelona: Ter Stegen; Sergi Roberto, Mascherano, Umtiti, Digne; André Gomes (Denis Suárez 71’), Busquets, Iniesta (Rakitic 14‘); Messi, Luis Suárez, Neymar. 4-3-3.

Goals:
0-1. 22. Messi. Latched on to Rakitic pass and struck angled shot past Diego Alves
1-1. 52. Munir. Fired low shot inside near post after Dani Parejo laid ball across.
2-1. 56. Rodrigo. Connected with Nani chipped pass and turned shot past keeper.
2-2. 62. Luis Suárez. Drilled shot across Alves after keeper saved Rakitic header.
2-3. 94. Messi (penalty). After Abdennour tripped Luis Suárez inside the area.

Yellow cards: Garay 17’, Diego Alves 23’, Busquets 25’, Digne 47’, Neymar 51’, Mario Suárez 69’, Messi 73’, Enzo Pérez 76’, Abdennour 92’.

Barcelona are the overnight leaders after a last minute 2-3 win over Valencia on Saturday afternoon. Luis Enrique lost Iniesta to a bad knee injury early on, but a few minutes later Messi fired the Catalans in to the lead, the referee waving away claims that Luis Suárez was interfering with play from an offside position. Diego Alves had to save a couple of times from Messi and Luis Suárez before the break, and soon after the restart Rakitic failed to find the net after the keeper blocked an effort from Neymar. Ex Barça striker Munir levelled the scores however after connecting with Dani Parejo’s cross, and just four minutes later Rodrigo beat Ter Stegen again with a shot on the turn to turn the scoreline around. Luis Suárez levelled the scores again though after Rakitic’s header was saved, and with the game in injury time Messi converted a last gasp penalty after Abdennour fouled Suárez in the area to give the visitors the three points. That did provoke some ugly scenes as angy fans threw a hail of objects at the celebrating Barça players, but thankfully for the sake of order the final whistle went soon afterwards.