A return to form from Lionel Messi and an exemplary defensive display from Javier Mascherano wasn't enough for FC Barcelona at the Camp Nou as they lost 2-1 to Valencia.
The Catalans started fairly brightly but were soon behind when Sergi Roberto allowed Guilherme Siqueira to get behind the back four. The left-back then whipped in a cross that was deflected off Ivan Rakitic's toe and into the net. When Valencia doubled their lead just before the break through Santi Mina, Barcelona were again too passive in their defending of wide positions.
Messi soon hauled the home team back into the game with just over an hour gone, La Pulga finally scoring his 500th senior goal for club and country after a 515 minute goal drought, and the playmaker looked much more like his usual self in general, with sharp passing, explosive runs and ingenuity on show for the first time in a while.
That still wasn't enough for Luis Enrique's team to take points however, a combination of Neymar's slack finishing and Luis Suarez's ineffectiveness hurting the league champions. In truth, Valencia could have scored more were it not for challenge after challenge from Javier Mascherano.
El Jefecito could hold his head high following a perfect individual showing, but that will be little consolation now that his team's lead at the top of La Liga only remains thanks to a head-to-head margin over Atletico Madrid.
Player ratings (1-10; 10 = best. Players introduced after 70 minutes get no rating):
GK Claudio Bravo, 5 -- Will feel disappointed to be beaten at his near post by Siqueira's cross for the opener, even if the deflection made it difficult. Solid with the ball at his feet as usual.
DF Sergi Roberto, 4 -- An always willing runner on the right wing, but his touch sometimes let him down. Of more consequence were two defensive lapses. The first was allowing Siqueira to ghost behind him for Valencia's opener, the second, getting caught ball-watching and permitting Santi Mina a free run into the Barca box for Los Che's other goal.
DF Gerard Pique, 6 -- Made to run end to end more often than he would have liked to, and at times looked uncomfortable as a result. In the second half however he repeatedly stepped up and won possession back, helping to convert defence into attack with a quick pass thereafter. Squandered a chance to equalise late on.
DF Javier Mascherano, 9 -- A mammoth performance in defence from the Argentine, who constantly put out fires when the home team were stretched. Made vital last-ditch challenges and interceptions to kill breaks led by Rodrigo, Santi Mina and Paco Alcacer, and was solid in his distribution too.
DF Jordi Alba, 5 -- Starting to recover his spark in the final third -- most obviously when he supplied the ideal cross in for Messi to score -- but still looks less assured than permissible at the other end of the pitch.
MF Sergio Busquets, 5 -- Adequate on the ball, mixing the range of his passing to try and pull Valencia apart, but had a few hairy moments without it, most notably when he left a gaping hole in the middle during the build up to Valencia's second goal.
MF Ivan Rakitic, 4 -- Got forward well in the first half only to always apply an inaccurate final touch, then disappeared for most of the second. Helped Siqueira to score Valencia's opener after he deflected the left-back's cross on the stretch.
MF Andres Iniesta, 5 -- Regularly involved in play but often too short or long with his final ball. Found some of his magic in the dying minutes, skipping away from challenges and crossing perfectly to Pique at the far post, only for the defender to squander the opportunity to equalise.
FW Lionel Messi, 8 -- Much better from the No.10, who ran into far fewer dead ends than in recent games, and was one of the home team's best players. Scored his 500th senior goal with an excellently timed run into the box and perfect finish, while he also helped create it in the first place with a quick ball into the area where Valencia had least cover. Almost created the equaliser with a near mirror-image move, but Alba couldn't cross accurately this time.
FW Luis Suarez, 4 -- Started well enough, with some intelligent runs and smart passes in the box that created chances for Barca, but gradually faded until becoming virtually inconsequential in the second half.
FW Neymar, 6 -- Mixed dribbles, flicks and dummies to try and unlock the away team, one example of which being his decision not to intervene in play that dumbfounded Los Che's defence and allowed Alba to cross, unmarked, for Barcelona's only goal. Still not right in his finishing however, wasting two big chances in the first half.
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