Seville: 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 were undone by a relentless and gutsy Valencia side, who hung on after Lionel Messi pulled a goal back to set up a dramatic finish in Seville. By then, Valencia was already two up, Kevin Gameiro and Rodrigo scoring twice in 13 frantic first-half minutes after the latter spurned a golden early chance that could have spared them a nerve-shredding last 17 minutes.
Messi drove the comeback effort and Goncalo Guedes twice should have wrapped it up for Valencia, missing a one-on-one and then an open goal before the final whistle sparked pandemonium. Valencia’s coach Marcelino, who might have been sacked when his team were four points off relegation in January, raced around the pitch in a frenzy. Barcelona’s players sank to their knees.
“We always had faith,” said Marcelino. “Beating Barcelona to win the cup is very special. We deserved to win.” Messi admitted on Friday his team had still not recovered from the ‘hard blow’ suffered against Liverpool and certainly, they seemed too easily disheartened here, finding their fight only once it was too late.
Messi also threw his support behind Barcelona’s coach Ernesto Valverde but it remains to be seen whether the backing of the board remains after two dreadful defeats have now spoiled such a brilliant La Liga success.
“I’m fine,” Valverde said. “When a coach loses you want to go again, to fight to overcome the next challenge. I know losing for this club is hard. I do not think it’s the coach’s fault,” said president Josep 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 1,457 consecutive days as Copa del Rey champions under threat, from their own sense of deflation, key players out injured and Valencia’s recent surge. If Barca’s season all but ended three weeks ago, Valencia’s arguably found life a few days later, as they moved into the top four for the first time and then held on to qualify for the Champions League. Winning their first trophy since 2008, in the club’s centenary year, completes a remarkable comeback campaign that, after 15 games, had them languishing in 15th. “We have made history,” said captain Dani Parejo.