Barcelona showed off this Sunday at Mestalla with a resounding 0-5 win over Valencia, led by a double from Lamine Yamal and completed with goals from Fermín López, Raphinha and Pedri. The Barça team added its fourth consecutive victory and took advantage of Real Madrid’s setback to position itself as the sole leader of LaLiga.
The match was marked from the beginning by the extremely hostile atmosphere that existed at Mestalla. With the thermometer close to 34 degrees and the Animation Stand empty as a form of protest, the fans welcomed the Valencia footballers, coach Carlos Corberán and the club president, Kiat Lim, with whistles.
Valencia tried to react in the first minutes and Danjuma had a dangerous arrival, although his cross, too powerful, did not find Javi Guerra. The play also ended up being invalidated due to offside.
It was just a mirage before Lamine Yamal appeared. The Barcelona attacker needed only six minutes to open the scoring. After an excellent filtered pass from Fermín, the young talent from Rocafonda surpassed Dimitrievski with a delicate touch of his left foot to establish the 0-1.
Two minutes later he scored again, although the goal was disallowed for offside. The invalidated goal did not prevent Mestalla from exploding again against its own team. Chants of “Corberán, resignation” began to be heard from the stands, to which were added the insults of the Curva Nord, who entered the Animation Stand in the 19th minute.
While the stadium became a powder keg, Barcelona controlled the match with authority. Pedri assumed command in the center of the field and Rodri played his first game as a starter, while Valencia struggled to create danger and showed too much innocence in the final meters.
In the 22nd minute came the second. Fermín received and unleashed a powerful left foot that was impossible for Dimitrievski to stop. The 0-2 score reflected the Barça superiority and left Valencia on the brink of the abyss.
An armored Barcelona
The locals barely managed to disturb Barcelona. Danjuma was the most dangerous player and met an inspired Joan García. The Barça goalkeeper made a great intervention in the 32nd minute and once again prevailed in a one-on-one match in added time of the first half.
Dimitrievski also prevented the difference from being even greater before the break with several interventions against the Barça scorers and Gordon. But after the restart, Valencia definitively collapsed.
Hansi Flick’s team maintained the offensive rhythm and Raphinha joined the party in the 50th minute. The Brazilian only had to push the ball after an exquisite assist from Fermín to make it 0-3.
Barcelona continued to accumulate chances and, although they missed some opportunities to increase the difference, they ended up finding the fourth in the 79th minute. Pedri received in the area and defined with a cross shot to make Valencia’s night even more painful.
The cherry on top came with Lamine Yamal. The winger reappeared in the final stretch to score his second goal of the night and complete the goal in the 84th minute.
The final whistle certified a black night for Valencia, which remains bottom, while Barcelona leaves Mestalla reinforced as the sole leader of LaLiga.
Many Valencia fans left the stands before the end. Those who remained at Mestalla once again expressed their indignation with a loud whistle directed at the team and Corberán, who remained on the grass while receiving the reproach from the fans.
Technical sheet
0 – Valencia: Dimitrievski; Maffeo (Elliott, m.54), Arnau Martínez, Pepelu (Tárrega, m.54), Diakhaby (Iker Córdoba, m.63), Jesús Vázquez (Gayà, m.54); Otorbi (Hugo Duro, d.76), Dieng, Ugrinic; Javi Guerra (Sato, m.63) and Danjuma.
5 – Barcelona: Joan García; Eric García (Koundé, m.29), Cubarsí (Christensen, m.62), Gerard Martín, Espart; Rodri (Bernal, m.62), Pedri (Gabriel Jesús, m.81), Fermín (Olmo, m.75); Lamine Yamal, Raphinha and Gordon (Adeyemi, m.62).
Goals: 0-1, m.6: Lamine Yamal. 0-2, m.22: Fermín López. 0-3, m.50: Raphinha. 0-4, m.79: Pedri. 0-5, m.84: Lamine Yamal.
Referee: Isidro Díaz. He cautioned Arnau (m.76) for Valencia and Cubarsí (m.48+), Rodri (m.47) and Fermín (m.65) for Barcelona.
