Valencia's Bat Attack Grounds Barcelona

Well, wasn't that just a delightful evening for anyone outside the gilded walls of Catalonia? Mestalla, a cauldron of noise and expectation, served up a proper, old-fashioned thumping, as Valencia CF put FC Barcelona firmly in their place with a commanding 3-1 victory. Before a ball was even kicked, Barcelona, perched precariously in 3rd, were expected to swat away a Valencia side languishing in 12th. Oh, how naive we were.

The first half was a cagey affair, a 0-0 stalemate that hinted at Barcelona’s usual ponderous possession, but also Valencia'