Valencia CF came from behind in impressive fashion to beat FC Barcelona 3-1 at Mestalla, overturning an early strike from Robert Lewandowski in a game that ended in disappointment for the visitors but celebration for the hosts.
Barcelona began brightly and struck first through Robert Lewandowski, who finished off a well-constructed attacking move with clinical precision, briefly putting his side in control and hinting at a strong away performance.
The match changed after the break when defensive hesitation proved costly. Young Barcelona defender Xavi Espart was dispossessed after a misplaced pass, and Javi Guerra pounced to drive into the box and calmly slot home the equaliser, shifting the momentum firmly in Valencia’s favour.
Buoyed by the equaliser, Valencia increased the pressure and forced repeated errors from Barcelona.
Their persistence paid off when Luis Rioja completed the turnaround with a well-taken finish to make it 2-1 and ignite Mestalla.
As Barcelona pushed forward in search of a response, they were exposed late on, allowing Guido Rodríguez to add a third and seal a 3-1 win, rounding off a strong comeback performance from Valencia.
