Barcelona vs. Valencia: Winners and Losers from Copa Del Rey
Barcelona demolished Valencia by a 7-0 scoreline in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final at the Camp Nou on Wednesday night, leaving the second leg at Mestalla a complete formality.
From start to finish, it was the Catalan team who were not only the more adventurous and faster in possession, but far better organised tactically and clearly playing with more confidence. Luis Suarez opened and closed the scoring, hitting four all told, while Lionel Messi also hit a hat-trick in between. Neymar missed a penalty before half-time as Shkodran Mustafi was sent off for a foul on Messi.
Here are all our biggest winners and losers from the match.
Winners: That Front Three
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There's little point naming them individually any more, is there? Not only are they the most known and feared forward triumvirate around, they also play far better together than any other attacking combination.
All three should have scored, but Neymar hit the post with his penalty and missed one or two other chances, but his buildup play, link work outside the penalty box and final pass were at times verging on the absurd. Messi and Suarez, meanwhile, had the movement on both sides of the back four that was impossible to pick up—and they had the finishing touch, too.
Suarez in particular deserves acclaim for his four-goal haul on the night, but all three were unstoppable.
Loser: Gary Neville and His Midfield Selection
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Whatever Gary Neville was trying to do, it plainly went horribly wrong just a few minutes in.
Naming six defenders in his starting XI—Joao Cancelo and Guilherme Siqueira as the "wingers"—gave a negative outlook to the team from the off, but it certainly didn't plug the gaps between defensive and midfield lines.
Los Che were horribly open, exposed from the first whistle to the last and were outrun and outworked by their opposition, quite apart from the rout of goals themselves.
Neville got it awfully wrong, and while the Copa had provided him solace after not winning in La Liga, he now needs a reaction, fast.
Winner: Aleix Vidal
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Any number of individuals from the midfield line could be picked out for particular praise, but Aleix Vidal was a good performer at right-back.
His off-the-ball work could be easily overlooked on account of the front three's end product and variation in their play, but Vidal constantly overlapped down the flank, delivered low crosses and passed infield with smooth, one-touch balls to keep the tempo up and the Valencia defence off balance.
Defensively he tracked back at pace to make challenges and is a genuine threat to the regular presence of Dani Alves in the strongest XI.
Loser: Aderlan Santos
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In a complete reversal of the Vidal choice, any number of Valencia players could be picked for being ruthlessly exposed—but Aderlan Santos probably made the highest number of individual errors and poor choices.
His passing or clearances out of defence were hurried, lacking composure or any direction, and he completely failed to lock down the movement of either Suarez or Messi in the channel. He lost the ball aerially off set pieces, played attackers onside by dropping too deep and generally had an awful game.
Midfielder Dani Parejo comes a close second in terms of Valencia's worst performers.
Winner: Luis Enrique
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A perfect night for the Barcelona manager was rounded off with the knowledge that he could rest players for the second leg if he chooses, which takes place just a week from now. As Barca continue to fight on three fronts, not playing an extra midweek game could be a valuable break for four or five of his real stars, and subbing off Andres Iniesta, Gerard Pique and Jordi Alba during the game showcases as much.
In addition, Enrique and his team are now 27 matches unbeaten, just one short of Pep Guardiola's 28-game streak from his time as manager of the club.
Levante at the weekend should equal it, and then Barcelona have the chance to beat that record in the return fixture at Mestalla.
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