Valencia and FC Barcelona shared the points in a great match at the Mestalla stadium. Valencia were on top in the first half, and led 2-1 at the break, but Guardiola’s team responded in style after half-time, and ended up picking up a vital point.
Barça’s manager, Pep Guardiola is convinced that the Spanish League game against Valencia will be “a great match”, but warned of the problems Emery’s team could pose, especially given the great moment of form they are enjoying. Guardiola also talked about Qatar, the Qatar Foundation and the board’s decision to make the club’s general assembly to validate the agreement reached.
Gerard Piqué took a full part in Monday lunchtime’s training session ahead of the midweek trip to Valencia’s stadium Mestalla. A total of 19 players from FC Barcelona’s first team squad and four from the B team took part in the training.
This season, in addition to continuing to fill the cabinet with more trophies, has served to break down some barriers that until now had been insurmountable for this Barça team. Winning at grounds like Espanyol or Valencia are two examples.
After tonight’s result at Mestalla (0-1) FC Barcelona broke another all-time record. They have gone 20 consecutive league games without defeat since losing 2-1 at Atlético Madrid last season.
Barça have won three hugely important points in Valencia thanks to a Messi goal in the 76th minute. The team made a huge effort and hardly gave the opposition a chance as they extended their lead in the league table to ten points.
Barça go to Mestalla tonight (22.00h CET) for the first of a series of tough away matches. Xavi and Alves are back after missing the Mallorca game, and Guardiola will also travel.
Tito Vilanova, the FC Barcelona assistant coach, has confessed to a press conference that Barça never find it easy to travel to Mestalla. “We have always found Valencia hard. We’ve never won there” he said.
Xavi Hernandez downplayed the seriousness of the injury that will keep him sidelined for between 7 and 10 days. The midfielder hopes to be available for next Wednesday's match with València.
For many Catalan speakers in Valencia, the measure is a clear attack against their linguistic rights. The Valencian Government created a law foreseeing harsh fines per every day of emissions. The Spanish Supreme Court is to decide on the matter, but meanwhile the emissions had to stop yesterday after 25 years of broadcasting.
Barcelona and València’s Chambers of Commerce have quantified the economic net benefit that building the Mediterranean railway corridor would represent, not speaking of the political, social and cultural consequences. The Mediterranean railway, going from Gibraltar to France going along the Mediterranean shore, should be a EU priority.
The event aims to show the urban and human landscapes of all three cities