Barcelona wanted a trophy to ease their Champions League heartache but instead fell to another shock defeat as Valencia pulled off a thrilling 2-1 victory on Saturday to win the Copa del Rey.
Chasing a record fifth consecutive triumph, Barca wereundone by a relentless and gutsy Valencia side, who hung on after Lionel Messipulled a goal back to set up a dramatic finish in Seville.
By then, Valencia were already two up, Kevin Gameiro andRodrigo scoring twice in 13 frantic first-half minutes, after the latterspurned a golden early chance that could have spared them a nerve-shreddinglast 17 minutes.
Messi drove the comeback effort and Goncalo Guedes twiceshould have wrapped it up for Valencia, missing a one-on-one and then an opengoal before the final whistle sparked pandemonium.
Valencia’s coach Marcelino, who might have been sacked whenhis team were four points off relegation in January, raced around the pitch ina frenzy. Barcelona’s players sank to their knees.
“We always had faith,” said Marcelino. “Beating Barcelona towin the cup is very special. We deserved to win.”
Messi admitted on Friday his team had still not recoveredfrom the “hard blow” suffered against Liverpool and certainly they seemed tooeasily disheartened here, finding their fight only once it was too late.
Messi also threw his support behind Barcelona’s coachErnesto Valverde but it remains to be seen whether the backing of the boardremains after two dreadful defeats have now spoiled such a brilliant La Ligasuccess.
“I’m fine,” Valverde said. “When a coach loses you want togo again, to fight to overcome the next challenge. I know losing for this clubis hard.”
“I do not think it’s the coach’s fault,” said presidentJosep Maria Bartomeu. “I think he has done a great job,” added Gerard Pique.”But it does not depend on us.”
They came here as favourites, but only just, their 1,457consecutive days as Copa del Rey champions under threat, from their own senseof deflation, key players out injured and Valencia’s recent surge.
If Barca’s season all but ended three weeks ago, Valencia’sarguably found life a few days later, as they moved into the top four for thefirst time and then held on to qualify for the Champions League.
Winning their first trophy since 2008, in the club’scentenary year, completes a remarkable comeback campaign that, after 15 games,had them languishing in 15th.
“We have made history,” said captain Dani Parejo. Gameiroadded: “In the difficult moments we stayed close. I don’t have the words todescribe it.”
Some saw a metaphor in Barcelona’s pre-match tifo, spellingout ‘All Together’ splitting down the middle, while there were key absenteesfrom their starting line-up too, Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Luis Suarez and OusmaneDembele all injured.
Valencia should have been ahead within five minutes, ClementLenglet’s error sending Rodrigo clear but his finish was brilliantly scoopedoff the line by the recovering Gerard Pique.
Barca, with Sergio Busquets in the centre of a back three,settled but lacked zip and in the 23rd minute they were behind. Jose Gayascuttled in behind Nelson Semedo and his pull-back wrong-footed everyone exceptGameiro, who fired in.
Semedo had been beaten down the left and soon after JordiAlba was outrun down the right, by Carlos Soler, whose cross needed only to benodded down and in by Rodrigo for number two.Barcelona stirred before the break. Ivan Rakiticvolleyed and then headed wide, before Messi registered their first shot ontarget in the 43rd minute.