Valencia Pip Barcelona To Copa Del Rey Victory In Style

Valencia are the new Copa del Rey Champions after ending Barcelona’s hopes of a domestic double amd denying the Blaugranas a historic fifth consecutive cup success.

After a woeful capitulation against Liverpool, Barcelona sought some consolation in a Copa del Rey win but goals from Kevin Gameiro and Rodrigo put the game to rest and handed the Laliga champions another shock defeat.

Lionel Messi’s goal with only 18 minutes left on the clock to play did nothing more than a consolation as the pressure on Ernesto Valverde continues to pile up.

Barcelona went behind just 20 minutes into the game. Whilst their defence lost concentration for a moment, Gabriel Paulista picked out Jose Gaya’s run down the left, with the full-back able to find Gameiro unmarked on the edge of the box. Gameiro then took a superb shot, lashing it past a helpless Cillesen.

The Blaugranas were undone once again in the 35th minute with Carlos Soler outpacing Alba down the right flank. Rodrigo, Valencia’s saviour in the semi-final with a second-leg winner against Betis, was unmarked in the box to head home.

Messi who was subdued in the first forty-five minutes worked some magic with a solo run but his strike was kept out by the woodwork.

The Argentine however got a goal with 18 minutes on the clock, after a Lenglet header bounced off the post.

The Spanish Champions sought a leveller with five minutes added time but couldn’t quite get through the tight defence wall Valencia had put up.

Valencia in this same period had their own chance of silencing fans of the Catalan giants with Guedes missing two fine chances.

With Cillesen coming to the other side of the pitch to nod and Valencia getting a counter attack, one would think that Guedes could put a long-range effort into an empty net but the attacker couldn’t quite hit the mark.

Barcelona 1-2 Valencia it ended.

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