High-flying First Half at Mestalla

The marquee match of the round lived up to billing so far in the firs half as both Valencia and Barcelona have gone at each other’s throats.  Despite the match being scoreless, there was quite a bit of action as the ball was move quickly and effectively by both sides. 

The pace of the match wasn't as surprising as the substitutions that both Unai Emery and Josep Guardiola fielded at Mestalla.  The rhythm that the match had would make frenetic seem slow.  

Emery would not start Roberto Soldado and went with Juan Mata alone up top for Valencia.  Meanwhile Barcelona would tweak its lineup with Andrés Iniesta playing on the left and Lio Messi would swap with David Villa up front.  Also  Gerard Piqué and Éric Abidal were in the middle of a Brazilian sandwich with Dani Alves and Adriano.  Javier Mascherano would play on

Valencia came out the gate on fire. The ball movement that Los Chés had in the first 15 minutes put Barcelona in the own defensive third.

The closest that Valencia got in the first half was a pass that Jordi Alba received but had his goal disallowed for being offside.

The dust would settle as the second third of the half began and it was Barcelona taking advantage of the wings with impressive run by Dani Alves and Adriano.  This was made easier when the Valencia defense would press in to cover a dashing Lio Messi

Messi missed four brilliant chances, three of them in a span of seven seconds in the first half.  So far Messi is the one that has been doing all the dirty work in all ends of the pitch. 

Young goalkeeper Vicente Guiatá was brilliant in the first half stopping Messi as well as David Villa to avoid the opening score of the match.

Starting XI

VALENCIA: (4-2-3-1)Guaitá, Stankevicius, Ricardo Costa, DeAlbert, Jordi Alba; Banega, Tino Costa; Joaquín, Hernández, Mathieu; Mata

BARCELONA: (4-3-3) Pinto, Dani Alves, Piqué, Abidal, Adriano;  Xavi, Busquets, Mascherano; Villa, Messi, Iniesta