Kondogbia pulls back Messi in the final third and gives away a free-kick.
90'
Rubén Sobrino enters the game and replaces Carlos Soler.
Sobrino replaces Soler for the home side for the closing stages of the contest.
There will be four minutes of added time.
89'
Kondogbia has had an impressive afternoon and he continues that level of performance by robbing Messi of possession before winning a free-kick from a foul from Rakitic.
87'
Messi takes on a strike from the edge of the box, but it's a tame effort that travels safely into the arms of Domenech.
85'
Álex Collado enters the game and replaces Ansu Fati.
I. Rakitić enters the game and replaces F. de Jong.
Rakitic replaces De Jong for Barcelona in the middle of the park.
Collado is on for Fati in the final third for the visitors.
84'
After a two-minute delay, Soler sees his corner cleared by the first Barcelona defender Pique at the near post.
80'
Jaume Costa enters the game and replaces M. Gómez.
Costa replaces Gomez for the home side.
Soler tries to release Torres in the final third, but the winger is offside as he connects with a strike that he puts over the bar.
77'
M. Gómez has scored a goal for Valencia! Assist by Ferran Torres.
GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!! GOMEZ SCORES THIS TIME!!!!! 2-0 VALENCIA!!!!! The home side double their advantage on the counter as Gomez places his strike into the bottom-right corner. Torres is the architect as he collects on the right flank and turns away from Umtit. He spots Gomez in acres of space and releases the forward. He takes a touch to steady himself before curling his strike around Sergi Roberto and past Ter Stegen into the back of the net.
Torres latches on to Wass' throw-in down the right flank. He takes a neat touch to move away from Umtiti before placing a perfect pass across the edge of the box for Gomez to collect and score.
72'
Garay brings down Griezmann on the edge of the box and the referee awards a free-kick to the visitors.
Minute
Description
68'
OVER! Messi collects a pass from Alba and goes for goal with a first-time strike from the left inside channel that just sails over the bar and onto the roof of the net.
66'
There's no out ball for Valencia at the moment to break the shackles from the Barca pressure. Gomez has been left isolated in the final third.
63'
Barcelona are beginning to find their passing rhythm in the final third. The Valencia defence is having to soak up some serious pressure at the moment.
61'
Rodrigo runs at the Barcelona defence before feeding a pass out wide to Torres. He goes for a deep cross to the back post for Soler, but it just travels away from the winger.
59'
Rodrigo enters the game and replaces K. Gameiro.
Rodrigo replaces Gameiro for the home side.
58'
CHALLENGE! Gabriel does brilliantly again to stop Messi in the box, throwing himself into a sliding challenge with the Argentine to block his strike at goal from close range.
57'
Gabriel makes a vital interception at the back to stop Vidal's throughball from reaching Messi in the Valencia box.
56'
A. Vidal enters the game and replaces Arthur.
Vidal replaces Arthur for the visitors in the middle of the park.
54'
F. Coquelin gets yellow.
Coquelin takes one for the team for the home side, dragging down Messi on the counter when Barca have numbers in the final third.
53'
Torres takes the free-kick and hangs it deep towards the box, but it proves to be a simple claim for Ter Stegen.
52'
Sergio Busquets gets yellow.
Busquets pulls back Torres on the charge and goes into the book.
50'
Fati lines up a cross into the box and it is deflected into the path of De Jong. He takes on the strike, but sends a tame effort into the hands of Domenech.
48'
M. Gómez has scored a goal for Valencia!
GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!! 1-0 VALENCIA!!!! The home side take the lead as Gomez's strike beats Ter Stegen with the aid of a deflection from Alba. Gomez begins the surge at goal first seeing a low cross travelling agonisingly away from Gameiro. Gaya keeps the attack alive and swings a cross back into the box. Gomez collects in the right inside channel and powers an effort towards goal that deflects off Alba to find the back of the net.
46'
We're back underway at the Mestalla.
45' +2
HALF-TIME: VALENCIA 0-0 BARCELONA
45'
There will be two minutes of added time.
Sergi Roberto releases Griezmann in the right inside channel and he tries to force a low ball across the face of goal. Gabriel reads the danger from the Frenchman's cross to clear the danger.
43'
S. Umtiti gets yellow.
Umtiti is booked for his challenge on Gomez. Both Barca centre-backs have now been carded.
Umtiti fouls Gomez on the half-way line, but Soler releases Torres down the right flank. However, the referee blows his whistle for the foul, preventing the advantage, much to the fury of the home side and their supporters.
41'
Garay makes a vital interception at the back to stop Busquets' reverse pass from finding the run of Messi in the box. He had to make that intervention to deny the visitors.
40'
Barcelona have not been able to threaten in the final third. Their play has been one-paced and there has not been a great deal of movement from Griezmann and Fati.
38'
Kondogbia gives the ball away and it almost allows Arthur to surge through the middle. He offloads to Messi, who is forced wide from the right inside channel. The Argentine tries to work it back to Sergi Roberto, but his pass is intercepted.
35'
Messi draws a foul from Soler in the middle of the park and it allows the Argentine to line up another strike at goal from a free-kick.
33'
Barcelona are looking lost on the pitch at the moment. Valencia are putting them under real pressure at the back and not even Messi can produce a spell of possession to stem the tide.
26'
Messi is brought down by Gameiro with a bodycheck within shooting range. The Argentine will line up the resulting free-kick from 30 yards.
23'
Frustration for Alba on the left flank as he loses possession and then fouls Wass on the wing.
21'
The visitors are struggling for rhythm in their passing game as Valencia are providing a strong press inside their own half.
16'
Torres collects on the right flank and tries to beat the attention of Umtiti and he wins a free-kick for the home side. It has not been an easy start for the Barcelona centre-backs.
14'
That was a huge opportunity for Valencia to put the visitors under pressure, but Gomez was unable to take it. Celades will be hopeful that does not effect his confidence for the rest of the contest.
12'
Penalty saved by M. ter Stegen!
SAVE! Ter Stegen keeps the scores level with a fine save to deny Gomez from the penalty spot. The ball is struck at a decent height for the keeper to get across to his left to beat it away from goal.
MISS! Gomez fails to convert from 12 yards. He strikes his effort with power on the side of his right boot towards the right side of the net. However, it's a comfortable height and pace for Ter Stegen to produce a solid stop. A huge moment in the game.
10'
Piqué gets yellow.
Pique goes into the book for his challenge on Gaya.
9'
Sergi Roberto brings down Gomez on the charge for the home side, giving away a free-kick inside the Barcelona half.
7'
Alba surges down the left flank and looks for the run of Griezmann inside the box, but he misplaces his offload into the middle.
5'
Messi collects a lay off from Sergi Roberto and turns to shoot on his left foot, but he gets crowded out before he can pull the trigger.
3'
Barcelona are working the ball around the pitch in the early stages of the game, probing the Valencia backline for weaknesses.
1'
We're underway at the Mestalla.
Good afternoon and welcome to the live commentary of the LaLiga clash between Valencia and Barcelona at the Mestalla.
Valencia bounced back from a 4-1 hammering at the hands of Mallorca by beating UD Logrones in the Copa del Rey during the week. Maxi Gomez scored the only goal of the game to secure the victory and guide the club through to the next round of the competition. Albert Celades' men needed a response from their defeat to Mallorca. They're currently sitting in eighth place in LaLiga, four points off the pace of Sevilla in the final Champions League place. Valencia know that a flawless effort will be required to beat Barca today.
VALENCIA (4-4-2): Jaume Domenech; Daniel Wass, Ezequiel Garay, Gabriel Paulista, Jose Gaya; Ferran Torres, Francis Coquelin, Geoffrey Kondogbia, Carlos Soler; Kevin Gameiro, Maxi Gomez.
BARCELONA (4-3-3): Marc-Andre ter Stegen; Sergio Roberto, Gerard Pique, Samuel Umtiti, Jordi Alba; Arthur, Sergio Busquets, Frenkie de Jong; Lionel Messi, Antoine Griezmann, Ansu Fati.
BARCELONA SUBS: Nelson Semedo, Ivan Rakitic, Clement Lenglet, Arturo Vidal, Junior Firpo, Inaki Pena, Alex Collado.
Valencia cannot be too deterred by their failures in the final third. They've put the visitors under a lot of pressure, but have just lacked the clinical edge to take one of those openings. If they keep on creating chances, Albert Celades' men will get their reward.
Barcelona won their second game in a row under new manager Quique Setien by beating Ibiza during the week in the Copa del Rey. The Catalan club were required to come from behind to defeat the Segunda B side on the road after Pep Caballe put the home side ahead. However, Antoine Griezman equalised before notching the winner in the 90th minute. Barca now turn their attention back to the league where they're level on points with Real Madrid at the top and will be aiming to take a three-point advantage over their rivals with a win this afternoon.
Valencia are next in action against Cultural Leonesa in the Copa del Rey on Wednesday on the road. Barcelona take on Leganes in the same competition at Camp Nou on Thursday.
Thanks for joining our commentary this afternoon. Until next time, goodbye.
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