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Barça forgot that they were playing in a final at the Mestalla. They played a good game and were a better team than Valencia. However, he did not have the punch that a champion should have, but forgave his rival after a series of failed shots against the wealthy Mamardashvili. They played with too much composure and conceded the draw due to a defensive error that Hugo Guillamón took advantage of very well. He lacked the penetration to complement the good passing network of Pedri and Frenkie de Jong. The classification required effectiveness and the Blaugrana only got one point, with Girona seven ahead of them and Madrid five ahead, having not completed their games against Alavés and Villarreal.
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Mamardashvili, Mouctar Diakhaby, Thierry Correia, Vazquez Alcalde (Yarek Gasiorowski, min. 81), Cristhian Ibarguen, Pepelu, Hugo Guillamón, Francisco Martinez (Selim Amallah, min. 72), Diego López (Foulquier, min. 81), Hugo Duro (Alberto Mari, Min. 81) and Yaremchuk (Sergi Canos, Min. 61)
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Iñaki Peña, Cancelo, Koundé, Ronald Araújo, Alex Balde, Frenkie De Jong, Pedri, Gündogan (Lamine Yamal, Min. 81), Raphinha, João Félix (Ferrán Torres, Min. 72) and Lewandowski
Goals 0-1 min 54: João Félix. 1-1 min 70: Hugo Guillamón.
referee Arias by Miguel Angel Ortiz
Yellow cards Francisco Martinez (min. 64), Frenkie De Jong (min. 76) and Cancelo (min. 79)
The result tasted like glory for a struggling Valencia, who had only drawn one in their last four league games, already very solid in their league where Mamardashvili had conceded just three goals, four after João Felix's goal. The Portuguese crowned the good play of the Barcelona fans in a game in which they mainly looked at the scoreboard, as Xavi's team desperately wanted to win.
The coach was consistent with his speech in the press room on the pitch, fielding his most famous and regular players, including Koundé, João Félix, Lewandowski and Raphinha, as if nothing had happened against Girona and there was stability at Barça. The only change was the presence of Balde on the left while João Cancelo moved to the right, a novelty that led to a more natural and classic formation since Christensen was the one who was sacrificed. The lack of a third Barça centre-back contrasted with Yaremchuk's deployment alongside Hugo Duro at Valencia. Baraja put together a second striker to face the Koundé-Araujo pair.
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Barça's attack has not changed either, which consists of throwing the ball anywhere on the opponent's field and then immediately allowing a goal-scoring opportunity, while the ten players remain in Babia and confide in Iñaki Peña. The goalkeeper was excellent at blocking Yaremchuk's half-turned shot. Valencia played with tension while Barcelona structured the game and tried to secure the pass, being careful that the ball ended up at De Jong's feet. The Dutchman took the lead with the help of Pedri while Gündogan hung between the lines and Lewandowski complained about Diakhaby's tackles. There was no current in Barça football. Valencia played with more energy.
Joao Felix finishes in an acrobatic manner.JOSE JORDAN (AFP)
The Blaugrana simply let the Valencians float, who easily advanced towards the opponent's field and instead defended hard in their penalty area, being very aware of Lewandowski. The activity of the striker, who was finally more present and attentive on the opponent's field, allowed the Barcelona fans to gradually advance and start shooting at Mamardashvili's goal. The goalkeeper was as steadfast as Barça's strikers were misguided. Little by little, a cleaner and more oxygenated Barça team appeared, protagonist with the ball and animated by Cancelo's side. However, Valencia refused to be withdrawn from the game and their moves were more vicious than Barcelona's moves.
Xavi asked his players to be less in a hurry and to use more head to avoid losses and give more continuity to the game in a very open game with a lot of environmental pressure due to the strength of Mestalla. The Barça motto was to finish the moves and, above all, to refine their aim, having counted seven shots, three of them between Mamardashvili's sticks. Gündogan didn't find out because the German made a mistake while completing an excellent combination with the help of Cancelo. However, João Felix did the right thing immediately afterwards, alone in the goal area, and pushed the ball served by Raphinha very deep to receive Frenkie de Jong's precise pass.
The game was perfect for Barcelona, to the despair of Valencia. However, the Blaugrana were overconfident and convinced that the second goal would come due to inertia without the need for a strike at all. Not only did they not know how to finish the game, but they conceded the draw before the Mestalla hustle and bustle. Hugo Guillamón shot with his right foot into the left corner of Peña's goal, after a seemingly harmless move that was poorly saved by Barcelona's passive defense. The draw left the Blaugrana flat at times, baffled by their lack of penetration, weak in areas, particularly in the opposition's area, as Ferran and Raphinha noted twice.
Under De Jong's command, Barcelona fans continued to appear in the Valencia area. Football was as fluid as ever, at a time when Barça were prevailing on results after a string of two defeats and seven goals conceded in games against Girona and Antwerp. The finals require victories and Barça lacks security and confidence, too inconsistent and also insecure and even disbelieving to even be able to compete in the league. Victory is impossible if you give away a ridiculous goal and are just as indulgent in finishing as you were in Mestalla. Although the game ultimately ended in a win for Barça, the team is now under so much pressure that the draw tasted like frustration on the pitch in Valencia.
Valencia's midfielder Hugo Guillamón celebrates Valencia CF's draw.Juan Carlos Cárdenas (EFE)
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