Barca’s double hopes finish with Copa del Rey loss

Barcelona’s hopes of a home double had been extinguished on Saturday after a 2-1 defeat to Valencia within the Copa del Rey ultimate.

The Blaugrana, who locked up the league title again in April, had been searching for a second straight sweep of Spanish titles on the Benito Villamarín in Seville. However first-half targets from Kevin Gameiro and Rodrigo put them underneath deep stress heading into the break and Lionel Messi’s strike with 17 minutes remaining wasn’t sufficient as Valencia held on for his or her eighth Copa crown.

Barcelona had been fortunate to not be down after simply 5 minutes when a foul giveaway from Clement Lenglet performed Rodrigo into the field with solely Jasper Cillessen to beat. However the Dutch goalkeeper did sufficient to push him huge and permit Gerard Pique time to get behind and clear the Brazilian’s shot off the road.

Barcelona had been denied the home double on Saturday. Getty

Valencia did not take lengthy to lastly breakthrough, nonetheless, and it was Gameiro who did the honours within the 21st minute — the France worldwide firing excessive and out of Cillessen’s attain from the centre of the field after being present in house by a Jose Gaya cross from the left.

Marcelino’s males doubled their benefit 12 minutes later when an unmarked Rodrigo nodded residence at shut vary from a fired-in Carlos Soler cross from the best.

Barca pulled a objective again within the 73rd minute by way of Messi, who pounced on the rebound after a Lenglet header pressured a reflex-save from Jaume Domenech after a nook.

Nonetheless, it wasn’t sufficient and Valencia ended the Catalan’s run of 4 straight Copa del Rey titles with the win.