Jordi Alba scored a stunning equaliser against former club Valencia to preserve Barcelona’s unbeaten record in La Liga after the leaders had been controversially denied a goal.
Lionel Messi’s shot squirmed through the gloves of Neto and over the line before the keeper scooped the ball out.
The referee, who was outside the penalty area, waved play on, much to the fury of Barca’s players.
Rodrigo then stabbed Valencia ahead before Alba’s volley.
Barcelona remain four points clear at the top of La Liga, while Valencia stay second.
Valencia could have snatched all three points in the dying moments but Simone Zaza fired over from a great position.
Absence of goalline technology costs Barca
Defeat would have been harsh on Barca, having been denied the lead in a highly controversial moment before half-time with replays clearly showing Messi’s shot crossed the line.
Former Barcelona striker Gary Lineker tweeted:[2] “Mad that they don’t have goalline technology in La Liga. Think they’ll be revisiting the debate after Messi’s goal was ruled not to have crossed the line when it clearly did.”
Spanish football journalist Andy West tweeted a picture[3] clearly showing the ball over the line.
He added: “Don’t understand people opposed to video refs. How can you not want mistakes like this to be corrected?”
The incident clearly upset Barca as Valencia went on to take the lead, Rodrigo pouncing from close range following Jose Luis Gaya’s low cross.
Valencia looked solid at the back but with eight minutes remaining Alba chose the perfect moment to score his first goal of 2017, an exquisite finish from Messi’s delicious pass.
Line-ups
Valencia
- 13Murara Neto
- 21Montoya
- 24GaraySubstituted forNunes Vezoat 86′minutes
- 5GabrielBooked at 44mins
- 14Gayá
- 18SolerSubstituted forMina Lorenzoat 89′minutes
- 16KondogbiaBooked at 32mins
- 10Parejo
- 7Ganchinho Guedes
- 9Zaza
- 19RodrigoBooked at 74minsSubstituted forPereiraat 82′minutesBooked at 89mins
Substitutes
- 1Doménech
- 3Nunes Vezo
- 11Pereira
- 22Mina Lorenzo
- 26Latorre Grueso
- 30Vidal Miralles
- 31Gil de Pareja
Barcelona
- 1ter Stegen
- 2Cabral SemedoSubstituted forVidalat 80′minutes
- 23Umtiti
- 25Vermaelen
- 18Alba
- 4RakiticSubstituted forDeulofeuat 68′minutes
- 5Busquets
- 15Paulinho
- 8IniestaSubstituted forD Suárezat 72′minutes
- 10Messi
- 9L Suárez
Substitutes
- 6D Suárez
- 13Cillessen
- 16Deulofeu
- 17Alcácer
- 19Digne
- 22Vidal
- 39Costas
- Referee:
- Ignacio Iglesias Villanueva
- Attendance:
- 47,775
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home31%
- Away69%
- Shots
- Home8
- Away12
- Shots on Target
- Home1
- Away8
- Corners
- Home3
- Away9
- Fouls
- Home12
- Away11
Live Text
Match ends, Valencia 1, Barcelona 1.
Full Time
Second Half ends, Valencia 1, Barcelona 1.
Attempt missed. Simone Zaza (Valencia) left footed shot from the left side of the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Andreas Pereira with a cross following a fast break.
Attempt missed. Andreas Pereira (Valencia) right footed shot from the right side of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Martín Montoya.
Offside, Barcelona. Lionel Messi tries a through ball, but Gerard Deulofeu is caught offside.
Foul by Denis Suárez (Barcelona).
Daniel Parejo (Valencia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt missed. Paulinho (Barcelona) header from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Sergio Busquets with a headed pass following a corner.
Corner, Barcelona. Conceded by Simone Zaza.
Substitution
Substitution, Valencia. Santi Mina replaces Carlos Soler.
Booking
Andreas Pereira (Valencia) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Sergio Busquets (Barcelona) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Andreas Pereira (Valencia).
Substitution
Substitution, Valencia. Rúben Vezo replaces Ezequiel Garay because of an injury.
Offside, Barcelona. Aleix Vidal tries a through ball, but Luis Suárez is caught offside.
Goal!
Goal! Valencia 1, Barcelona 1. Jordi Alba (Barcelona) left footed shot from the left side of the six yard box to the top right corner. Assisted by Lionel Messi.
Hand ball by Simone Zaza (Valencia).
Substitution
Substitution, Valencia. Andreas Pereira replaces Rodrigo Moreno.
Substitution
Substitution, Barcelona. Aleix Vidal replaces Nélson Semedo.
Offside, Barcelona. Denis Suárez tries a through ball, but Jordi Alba is caught offside.
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Delay in match Ezequiel Garay (Valencia) because of an injury.
Foul by Gerard Deulofeu (Barcelona).
Geoffrey Kondogbia (Valencia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt saved. Luis Suárez (Barcelona) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Thomas Vermaelen.
Booking
Rodrigo Moreno (Valencia) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Paulinho (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Rodrigo Moreno (Valencia).
Substitution
Substitution, Barcelona. Denis Suárez replaces Andrés Iniesta.
Foul by Gerard Deulofeu (Barcelona).
José Gayá (Valencia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt missed. Gonçalo Guedes (Valencia) right footed shot from the left side of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Geoffrey Kondogbia.
Substitution
Substitution, Barcelona. Gerard Deulofeu replaces Ivan Rakitic.
Offside, Barcelona. Lionel Messi tries a through ball, but Luis Suárez is caught offside.
Foul by Luis Suárez (Barcelona).
Gabriel (Valencia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Ivan Rakitic (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Daniel Parejo (Valencia).
Offside, Barcelona. Lionel Messi tries a through ball, but Luis Suárez is caught offside.
Goal!
Goal! Valencia 1, Barcelona 0. Rodrigo Moreno (Valencia) left footed shot from very close range to the bottom left corner. Assisted by José Gayá.
References
- ^ How Valencia rallied following ‘humiliation’ under Gary Neville (www.bbc.co.uk)
- ^ tweeted: (twitter.com)
- ^ tweeted a picture (twitter.com)
- ^ Line-ups (www.bbc.co.uk)
- ^ Match Stats (www.bbc.co.uk)
- ^ Live Text (www.bbc.co.uk)
