Copa del Rey: Suarez gives Barca advantage
Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez thrived again, leaving Barcelona closer to their fifth straight Copa del Rey final.
Suarez scored a second-half winner off a cross by Messi as Barcelona defeated Valencia 1-0 in the first leg of the semifinals on Thursday.
“They had a good plan (defensively),” Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde said. “It was the team that best defended against us.”
The three-time defending champions had difficulty getting past the Valencia defense at Camp Nou until Messi came through with a great play midway through the second half.
Messi controlled the ball inside the area and calmly carried it towards the by line, attracting three defenders. As they converged, he sent the ball all the way across the area to Suarez, who was free to score with a firm diving header.
“It’s the smallest advantage,” Suarez said. “There is still a lot of football to be played. Valencia is always strong, especially in a Copa semifinal.”
It was a much better result for Valencia compared to the last time they faced Barcelona in the Copa semis two years ago, losimpressive ing the first leg 7-0 at Camp Nou.
“We knew it was going to be difficult to play here against the best team in the world,” Valencia defender Gabriel Paulista said. “We defended well.”
Suarez has been enjoying an scoring streak, having scored 13 times in his last 11 matches. He and Messi have combined to each score in seven of Barcelona’s last eight matches.
The second leg is next Thursday at Mestalla Stadium.
“It wasn’t a good result, it leaves us in a difficult situation, but the series is still open,” Valencia coach Marcelino said. “It may look impossible but we will go for it.” Valencia are trying to win their eighth Copa title, and first since 2008.
Five-time champions Sevilla drew at Leganes 1-1 in the first leg of the other semifinal on Wednesday.
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