Valencia 1-1 Barcelona: Xavi's side drop points in the title race

12/16/2023 Soccer

Valencia 1-1 Barcelona: Xavi’s side drop points in the title race as they squander lead after Joao Felix opened the scoring and have now failed to win any of their last three matches

  • Barcelona drop two more points in the LaLiga title race after Valencia draw
  • Joao Felix’s second half strike wasn’t enough for victory at the Mestalla
  • Do Man United have what it takes to exploit Liverpool’s defensive vulnerability? It’s All Kicking Off

Barcelona gave another unconvincing performance and dropped two more points in the title race drawing 1-1 with Valencia.

Xavi’s team have now failed to win any of their last three games and if leaders Girona win on Monday against Alaves they will be nine points clear of their neighbours.

Joao Felix put Xavi’s team ahead but Hugo Guillamon levelled meaning Barcelona have now conceded 19 goals this season – they only let in 20 in the entirety of last season. ‘We are letting too many points get away from us,’ said Pedri after his team failed to get the win an unsettling week had called for.

Roman Yaremchuk was making only his second start for Valencia and he had their best first chance with the home side’s first attack. Barcelona’s best first half chance fell to Robert Lewandowski but his effort was comfortably saved by Giorgi Mamardashvili. The Polish forward had another quietly night in front of goal and when the breakthrough came he was not involved.

Frenkie de Jong clipped a clever ball over the top with the outside of his right foot to break Valencia’s offside trap. Rafinha crossed from the right and Joao Felix was there to roll the ball into the net from close range.

Joao Felix opened the scoring in Valencia after his 55th-minute strike put Barcelona in control

Felix struck from close-range with a tap-in after Frenkie de Jong clipped a ball over the top of Valencia’s defence

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Raphinha almost scored the second going around Jesus Vazquez and trying to beat Mamardashvili at his near post. The Georgian keeper saved brilliantly to keep Valencia in it.

And from almost being two goals down Valencia pulled level. Fran Perez’ cross from the right looked harmless enough but when Barcelona failed to clear it the ball came out to Guillamon and he bent his shot past Iñaki Peña and into the top corner.

Barcelona should have won it with seven minutes left but Raphinha’s shot was saved by Mamardashvili and when Raphinha tried to force the rebound over the line 18-year-old substitute Yarek Gasiorowski threw himself in front of the shot to block at the near post.

Barcelona manager Xavi watched on as his side dropped vital points in the LaLiga title race

Hugo Guillamon’s (right) late strike snatched a late draw for the hosts in Valencia

Raphinha missed a great chance to double Barcelona’s lead and cut a dejected figure after the game

Six minutes were added on to the 90 and both sides had players going down dramatically – Valencia’s to eat up precious time; Barcelona’s to try to win a late penalty after a corner.

Barcelona’s last chance fell to former Valencia player Ferran Torres who had come on in the second half but Cristhian Mosquera nicked the ball off his toe as he was about to finish.

was host of the show for 24 years, and has previously said that she was ‘devastated’ when she was sacked just three years ago, sparking fury from viewers. Pictured: Matt Dawson, Sue Barker and Phil Tufnell before they were let go in 2020 

It would have been hard on Valenica, roared on by a full Mestalla. For Barcelona it’s a point gained on Atletico Madrid who lost earlier on Saturday but it could be two points lost on Real Madrid if they win Sunday. 

And when Girona kick-off against Alaves on Monday they will know they can put nine points between themselves and Xavi’s side if they win.


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