Barcelona, bruised after Champions League elimination in midweek, snatched a late 1-0 victory at Valencia on Saturday in La Liga, with Robert Lewandowski stretching to transform a 93rd-minute winner.
The Polish ahead managed to divert Raphinha’s cross house on the loss of life to tug Barcelona stage on 31 factors with Actual Madrid on the high of the desk, earlier than the champions host Girona on Sunday.
It was a hard-fought win — the Catalans misplaced centre-backs Jules Kounde and Eric Garcia to harm, and they are going to be worries for his or her nationwide groups, France and Spain respectively, forward of the Qatar World Cup which begins in below three weeks.
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Valencia noticed Uruguayan Edinson Cavani go off injured with an ankle drawback too, with the sport billed as a shoot-out between him and fellow veteran marksman Lewandowski, who got here out on high together with his late purpose.
“It was not good soccer, immediately we weren’t impressed,” mentioned Xavi.
“The nervousness of this week weighed on us, Valencia defended very effectively. These are three very important factors.
“I’m comfortable for the win, it was deserved, and every victory is well known, and once you don’t win, the alarms sound, it’s regular, it is a large membership.”
Gennaro Gattuso mentioned he and Barcelona counterpart Xavi Hernandez performed nearly completely different sports activities of their taking part in days, however their groups had been evenly matched at a feisty Mestalla.
The guests had the higher hand from the beginning, though Valencia’s difficult ahead line brought about them concern on the again, with Samuel Lino and Justin Kluivert significantly onerous to deal with.
Ansu Fati ought to have opened the scoring when arrange by a superbly timed Pedri go, however onrushing Valencia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili saved the ahead’s tried dink together with his face.
Frenkie de Jong hammered an effort large from distance, whereas Fati, on a uncommon begin, couldn’t direct a header from Ousmane Dembele’s cross low sufficient to trigger issues.
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Valencia thought that they had damaged the impasse early within the second half when Lino slid house however Marcos Andre hand dealt with a cross into his path and the purpose was disallowed.
– Late winner –
Barcelona may have gained the match with 5 minutes remaining however substitute Torres fluffed his strains in entrance of purpose, kicking the ball towards his different leg when he solely had the goalkeeper to beat.
Fortunately for him, grasp finisher Lewandowski spared his blushes with a purpose when Barcelona wanted it most.
“If you play groups like Barcelona you’ll be able to’t make any errors,” Gattuso advised DAZN.
“We have now to proceed, now we have to have a look at our mentality, however the workforce is alive. We have now to talk little and work so much.”
Valencia have gained simply one in all their final six matches and are tenth in La Liga.
Earlier Ruben Sobrino bundled house a dramatic final gasp winner to earn Cadiz a exceptional 3-2 win over Atletico Madrid, piling the distress on the guests in a harrowing week for Diego Simeone’s workforce.
It regarded like Joao Felix had salvaged the Rojiblancos a degree from two targets down, with a surprising influence off the bench, forcing an personal purpose and scoring one other effort himself, stemming the bleeding after their Champions League elimination on Wednesday.
“It’s all studying, you at all times continue to learn, there’s no time to not be taught,” mentioned Simeone.
“We have now to maintain going mentally, it looks like it’s all going to finish tomorrow, and there’s a protracted method to go in La Liga, we are able to get into the Europa League, so let’s have some calm.
“Despite the fact that the luck that you just at all times want on this recreation shouldn’t be favouring us.”
Jorge Sampaoli’s Sevilla, seventeenth, fell to a disappointing 1-0 defeat at house towards Rayo Vallecano, whereas Almeria beat Celta Vigo 3-1.
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