Valencia 2-3 Barcelona, result, goals, summary | LaLiga 2020-21

50 goals from free-kicks for Messi

Messi closes in on his eighth Pichichi trophy

Messi's brace tonight brings him to 28 goals in LaLiga, seven more than Karim Benzema in second place. With just four games to go, the Argentine looks certain to hit 30+ goals.

Photo: Getty images

Valencia have a fight on their hands with four games to go. One of Spain's biggest clubs, it would be a disaster to see them drop to Segunda. 

Next Saturday: Barcelona vs Atlético Madrid

This game could have a huge say in the title race. At the minute any of Atlético, Real, Barcelona and Sevilla can still win LaLiga. 

Sevilla are also still in this title race and face a very tricky test against Athletic Club on Monday. 

Gerard Piqué post-match: "It's going to be hard to win LaLiga. It is in our hands, however, we have to beat Atlético Madrid, it's as simple as that. It was a much-needed win after the defeat to Granada on Thursday, which was a shock for us.

"My knee is fine, it's just a small niggle. We played well tonight, dominated at times. They got back into it through a Soler screamer and we had to see it out. We needed to stay focused and did that. This league will be hard to win but we're still alive and will be there until the very end."

LaLiga title race

Valencia go into the last four games fighting for their lives. They still need to pick up more points to stay in LaLiga. 

Huge win for Barcelona!

FT: Valencia 2-3 Barcelona

Messi thinks he's in the playground now, just toying with Valencia and slowing it down. 

Barca break up Valencia's counter. 

There will be four minutes of injury time after the 90.

Oliva strikes! but it's a poor effort and sails well over the bar.

It's all in Barca's half now. Valencia are going for it. 

Soler and Guedes are looking to conjure up some magic in Barca's third. Messi tracks back, wins the ball and says 'not here lads'.

Barcelona looked comfortable but not anymore! LaLiga is on the line..Primera survival to play for...it's all happening!

Five minutes to go plus injury time...

Valencia 2-3 Barcelona - Game on!

What an absolute golazo from Carlos Soler - it's a rocket into the top corner! You'd need four Ter Stegens to stop it. 

Diakhaby handball! That has to be a penalty but the referee says no. Bizarre..

We're now into the last 10 minutes. It remains Valencia 1-3 Barcelona.

Valencia changes

OFF Racic 

ON Oliva 

OFF Guillamón

ON Gameiro 

Piqué is still on the pitch. He didn't look right but he must be OK now. 

Barca are looking even more comfortable now. I expected some more bite from Valencia and maybe a late surge, but it doesn't look that way. 

Barcelona have scored all three goals in a 12-minute rampage. Just like their Copa del Rey final win over Athletic Club. 

Barcelona changes:

OFF Dest

ON Sergi Roberto

OFF Pedri 

ON Ilaix Moriba

Piqué doesn't look right and Barca are set to make a couple of changes. 

Maxi Gómez is ruled out for offside and not happy with the linesman decision. 

Messi is just outrageous! He now has 28 league goals this season and looks certain to pick up the pichichi trophy at the end of the season. 

Valencia 1-3 Barcelona

Messi curls his free-kick in off the far post, giving Cillessen absolutely no chance and doubling Barcelona's lead. 

GOOOOOOOLAAAAAZO MESSI!!!

Messi free-kick, in perfect range. 

Jordi Alba has been exceptional tonight. His cross was the pre-assist for Griezmann's goal. De Jong's header was saved, which eventually led to Griezmann slotting home. 

Valencia change:

OFF Lato

ON Diakhaby

Valencia 1-2 Barcelona

Frenkie De Jong's header is superbly stopped by Cillessen, the ball falls to Griezmann, who taps in from two yards. 

Barcelona have completely turned it around at Mestalla!

Diakhaby is getting ready to come in for Valencia.

Lato is down, it looks like a muscle injury. He's had a rough five minutes, after giving away the penalty. 

It didn't take Barca long to respond. We're just past the hour-mark at Mestalla. 

27 GOALS for MESSI in LaLiga this season!

Valencia 1-1 Barcelona

MESSI misses the penalty, Pedri shoots, it falls back to Messi, who slams it home!

Lato clearly handles the ball. 

Penalty to Barcelona!

Correia almost makes it 2-0 to Valencia! What a five minutes!

Valencia are still not safe from relegation, it could also be a huge goal in their season. Still 40 minutes to play...

And what a huge goal this could be in the LaLiga title race!

It's a GOAL!

Paulista heads home all alone at the back post. It's going to VAR.

GABRIEL PAULISTA!!!

TER STEGEN SAVES!

Barcelona's XI

Valencia's XI

A reminder of the teams...

Valencia get us underway!

We're not expecting any half-time changes. 

The Barcelona players are back out on the pitch. Still waiting on Valencia. 

Barcelona have been the better team in the opening half and went closest to taking the lead through Araújo. 

HT: Valencia 0-0 Barcelona

Barca continue to be patient, work the ball around, before Lenglet sends in a good cross. It's a foul on Racic and free out to the home team. 

Barcelona chance!

The ball falls to Pedri in the 6-yard box, it comes at him at rapid speed and a couple of inches too high before he can respond and spins away. 

Valencia have defender very well so far. You never know with Messi and Griezmann, both are capable of changing the game with a touch. Javi Gracia will be, however, delighted with his team's discipline and focus in the opening 40 minutes.

Racic picks up the first booking of the game after a foul on De Jong. 

Jordi Alba is Barca's real threat down the left. His performances for Koeman have been outstanding this season and has even been called back into the Spain squad. 

As things stand...

MESSI!

Messi bends it up and over the wall and also over the bar. Valencia fans breathe. 

Free-kick to Barca 25 yards from goal. There's only one man over this..

Valencia's two chances have come on the break. They're playing like the away team, but when they do have a chance to hit Barca on the break through wing-backs Gaya and Thierry, they will. 

RACIC SHOOTS!

The ball falls to the midfielder 25 yards out, he makes Ter Stegen work but it's saved by the German netminder. 0-0

Barcelona are running the game. Griezmann goes in for a 50:50 challenge with Cillessen. it's a free out to Valencia. 

Barcelona club president Joan Laporta has a message against bullying.

GAYA STRIKES!

The Valencia captain finds himself in the inside left channel. Before Barca can arrive, he drives his strike across the goal and wide of the target. Good play on the break by the home side. 

Alba and Dest are providing all the width for Barca. 

What a move again by Barca. Another five-man move sees Alba through down the left wing. He hits it first time to the back post, there's nobody there this time. 

Soler stands over the ball for Valencia. Araújo clears the resulting cross. 

Araújo is six yards out and really should score. 

Cillessen denies Araújo

Super save to deny the young defender from point-blank range. Messi puts the cross on a plate for Araújo, Cillessen stands tall to pull off the stop. 

Valencia are playing with two very narrow lines of four, looking to prevent Messi collecting the ball between the lines. Barca target this area, win a free and now have another chance at taking the lead.

Griezmann header!

Alba whips in a left wing cross into the box for Griezmann. The French forward rises highest but can't keep his header down. 0-0

Free-kick to Valencia after a foul by Araújo. Barca win it back straight away. Dest takes the throw-in and Barca recycle it across the back three.

Barcelona have seen most of the ball so far. This Barca team is built to keep the ball, Pedri, De Jong, Busquets, Messi etc

Koeman is not on the touchline tonight. He is serving a two-match ban for comments made to the fourth official in Thursday night's 2-1 defeat to Granada. 

Mestalla is one of the grounds in Spain that misses not having supporters most. There is nothing like a big night at the old ground. It rocks like none other. 

Barca have started on the front foot. Really positive, they do need the points, but so do Valencia!

PEDRI!

Wonderful move from Barca, falls to Pedri 14 yards out. The Spanish international smashes his effort wide. 

It's all Barca in the opening couple of minutes. Koeman has named a very strong team tonight. 

Barcelona will play from left to right as we watch it. 

We're underway at Mestalla!

It's Valencia vs Barcelona

This should be a good one! Valencia are still not safe in Primera, meanwhile, Barcelona are in a four-team LaLiga title race. 

The players are in the tunnel at Mestalla ahead of one of the biggest games of the weekend in LaLiga. 

Barcelona's biggest victory over Valencia came in 2008, a 6-0 win. Valencia will be hoping Messi et al don't have a similar day today. 

Kick-off between Valencia and Barcelona is just over 10 minutes away and we'll be bringing you all the action as it happens from Mestalla.

Valencia confirm their starting XI

Mestalla

One of the best grounds in Spain. We should avoid the rain this evening!

Kick-off at Mestalla is just 20 minutes away! 

Stay tuned for all the action.

Barcelona XI vs Valencia

Valencia XI vs Barcelona

Soler vs Messi

We take a look at the best-rated players from both sides, Carlos Soler & Leo Messi. Stats via SofaScore

BARCELONA

Víctor Valdés back at Barcelona

Victor Valdés is set to return to FC Barcelona. According to Sport, the former blaugrana keeper has decided to accept Joan Laporta's offer to hand him a role as a goalkeeping coaching in La Masia. Valdés was initially hesitant about the idea, as his intention was to continue as coach at youth team level, but in the end he decided to take on the offer which was put to him last month.

Read the full story

Valencia vs Barcelona head to head

We look at the teams H2H since 99/00, thanks to the good folk at SofaScore

Barcelona wins - 21

Valencia wins - 9

Draws - 13

Barcelona fighting for title

Barcelona are in a four-team title race, and will be feeling the added pressure tonight after Real and Atlético both picked up wins on Saturday.

Valencia still not safe

Valencia are still not mathematically safe from relegation to Segunda, currently sitting 14th in the LaLiga standings. The fear of relegation should be enough for Javi Gracia to instill some motivation in his players tonight. 

Manchester City withdraw from chase for Messi

According to L’Équipe, while PSG are in contact with Leo Messi's entourage, the Parisians are ploughing all of their efforts into renewing Kylian Mbappé's contract, which is due to expire next year and negotiations between the club player remain on stand-by.

The French sports daily add that Messi only has two options this summer - to either renew with Barcelona or sign for PSG, now that Manchester City appear to be out of the running.

Full story 

LIGUE 1

Signing Messi is not a priority for PSG - reports

With just two months left before Leo Messi's contract with Barcelona runs out, the Argentine ace's future is no clearer. In France, L’Equipe report that PSG's priority remains to secure a new contract for Kylian Mbappé and not signing Messi, in spite of recent rumours linking the Barça star in a move to Paris.

Last week, Brazilian channel TNT Sport Brasil announced that PSG had offeredMessi a two-year deal with the option of a third season. They added that no other club have the means to sign the Barcelona player and that PSG are the favourites to get him.

Read the full story

Barcelona: Koeman's five-step plan to be crowned champions

Barça missed the chance to take over at the top of the table on Thursday, letting slip a one-goal lead to surprisingly lose 2-1 at home to Granada.

The unexpected defeat means Koeman's side instead sit third with just five games to play in the top-flight campaign, starting with Sunday's tricky trip to Valencia.

Yet with Atleti still to visit Camp Nou, a defiant Koeman insists maximum points will be enough to pip both Diego Simeone's side and Real Madrid, who are second in the standings, to the title.

"It is true that we were very disappointed because it was a very great opportunity to get to the top, but there is no more time to be sad because we are fighting with the top three teams," Koeman told the media on Saturday.

"In all the games we have a lot of possession, we create opportunities. It is true that defensively we have to improve things.

"We expect a difficult game [against Valencia], where we are going to have a lot of possession, we have to create, be better defensively."

Read more.

Happy Mother's Day in Spain!

Valencia have named their starting XI vs Barca with the names of the players' mothers. Nice touch!

Valencia starting XI vs Barcelona

Valencia vs Barcelona (Mestalla)

Barcelona have made the trip south to the beautiful city of Valencia. 

Barcelona starting XI for trip to Mestalla

LALIGA

Valencia vs Barcelona: times, TV & how to watch online

Both Atlético and Real Madrid won their fixtures by the skin of their teeth on Saturday which obliges Barcelona to do the same when they face Valencia on Sunday night. That won’t be a straightforward task for Ronald Koeman’s side – seeing as Barça’s last victory at Mestalla was three years ago; they were beaten 2-0 in the same fixture last season and held to a 1-1 draw the season before that.

Hosts Valencia however are not the force they once were. They haven’t been enjoying a fruitful season by their standards. Their last win was at the end of March and since then, they have picked up just three points from draws against Real Sociedad, Betis and Alavés. Javi Gracia’s men lie 14th in the table just six points above the relegation places. At least the coach has everyone fit and available for this game.

Unlike Koeman who is unable to count on Braithwaite, Coutinho and Ansu Fati. The Barcelona coach has taken a 23-man squad to Valencia, including B team midfielder Matheus Fernandes. Barcelona missed a golden chance to go top on Thursday when they lost their game in hand 1-2 to Granada. That result, along with those of their rivals yesterday, leaves the Catalans in third place on 71 points – three behind Madrid and five behind Atleti.

All the information you need on when and where to watch Valencia versus Barcelona in Week 34 of LaLiga at Mestalla on Sunday 2 May 2021.

Valencia vs Barcelona live: welcome

Hello and welcome to AS English's live coverage of this LaLiga fixture as Valencia host Barcelona at Mestalla. Kick-off is at 21:00 CEST.