Valencia: Diego Alves; Joao Pereira, Rami,
Ricardo Costa, Guardado; Javi Fuego, Michel (Dani Parejo 81'); Pabón,
Banega (Feghouli 68'), Canales (Jonas 68'); Postiga. 4-2-3-1.
Barcelona: Víctor Valdés; Dani Alves,
Piqué, Mascherano, Jordi Alba; Cesc Fàbregas (Jonathan Dos Santos
79'), Busquets, Iniesta; Pedro (Tello 71'), Messi, Neymar (Sergi Roberto 90').
4-3-3.
Goals:
0-1. 11. Messi. Ran on to Fàbregas pass and
went past Diego Alves to score.
0-2. 39. Messi. Picked up Fàbregas
pass and turned angled shot past keeper.
0-3. 41. Messi. Steered shot wide
of keeper after Neymar crossed in from left.
1-3. 45. Postiga. Acrobatic
scissor kick past Valdés from Joao Pereira cross.
2-3. 45+2.
Postiga. Got above defence to head Banega corner across keeper.
Yellow cards: Pereira 16', Jordi Alba 28', Dani Alves 64', Neymar 73'.
Barcelona stay in top spot after a 2-3 victory at Valencia on Sunday evening, a thrilling match in which four of the goals came in a ten minute period leading up to half time. Neymar had a goal disallowed for a questionable offside before Fàbregas put Messi through to open the scoring in the eleventh minute. Valdés did well to keep out Pabón a few minutes later, but when Messi scored two in a row late in the first half to complete his hat-trick (Fàbregas and Neymar assists), the game appeared to be already over. However before the half time whistle Postiga got one back with an acrobatic scissors kick, and just a minute or so later he headed Banega's corner over Valdés to put the Ches back in it. That set up an action packed second half, Diego Alvés making a string of saves from Messi in particular and from Jordi Alba, Pedro heading a good chance wide, and Víctor Valdés pushing a shot from Jonas on to the post. Messi's hat-trick was enough though, and Tata Martino couldn't have asked for a better start.