Barcelona title defence suffers fresh setback as Valencia stun faltering leaders

Barcelona will aim to get their season back on track when they host Valencia in La Liga action on Sunday.

This weekend’s results mean Barcelona are level on 76 points with Atletico, while third-placed Real Madrid have moved to within just one point as the title race hots up.

Having gone three matches without a win in the League, Barca began the game intent on banishing their bad run of form, and the “MSN” all got opportunities to give their side an early lead, only for Diego Alves to stand in their way.

With hopes of a second successive treble now in tatters, Luis Enrique returned to his usual starting line-up after his rotations against Real Sociedad backfired, but dropped Dani Alves, who had irked some supporters by posting a light-hearted video on Instagram after the European defeat to Atletico, in favour of Sergi Roberto.

Messi’s creativity and goals have papered over the possible cracks in some displays this season, but with his magic missing, those cracks have appeared.

This was some transformation for a Valencia side humiliated 7-0 on their last visit to the Nou Camp, in the first leg of a Copa del Rey semi-final on 3 February.

The forward now has 450 goals in 526 games with Barcelona and 50 in 107 games for Argentina. Alves again denied Messi, this time saving the Argentinian’s header with his feet, but Valencia continued to cause problems on the break. Guilherme Siqueira attacked down the left and his cross deflected off the boot of the sliding Rakitic, and Bravo was unable to prevent the ball beating him at his near post.

Messi unleashed a finish with the outside of his left boot straight at Alves from point-blank range, before the goalkeeper clawed away Neymar’s volleyed lob and Suarez failed to slide home Jordi Alba’s low cross into the penalty area.

Neymar could have salvaged a draw with a late chance, but the Brazilian’s shot bounced wide after taking a deflection, before Gerard Pique missed a sitter in the 90th minute as Valencia held out for a hard-fought win.