FC BARCELONA starting 11 team: Cillessen; Semedo, Gerard Pique, Lenglet, Jordi Alba; Rakitic, Sergi Busquets, Arthur; Sergi Roberto, Lionel Messi & Coutinho
VALENCIA CF starting 11 team: Jaume; Daniel Wass, Garay, Gabriel Paulista, Gaya; Dani Parejo, Coquelin, Carlos Soler, Guedes; Rodrigo & Gameiro
From the start the strategies of both Clubs were clear, FC Barcelona ball possession & domination, while Valencia CF was firm tactical defending looking for the speedy counter-attack. Barça forward LUIS SUAREZ had decided beforehand to operate himself from a niggling injury & was not part of the Final, his team was to miss him very much.
The Barça intensity started strongly but gradually faded as Valencia calmed themselves & forced defensive mistakes. The counter-attacks was catching the Barça defenders on the back foot & it was not long that in a sprint by defender GAYA he found forward GAMEIRO who shook off Jordi Alba & scored the opener in the 21st min. Barcelona was rattled & another counter-attack by SOLER who outpaced Barça defender Alba found the head of RODRIGO who scored the second for Valencia CF in the 33rd min.
Valencia went into the 2º half 2 - 0.
The 2º half saw Barcelona react putting on Arturo Vidal (for Arthur) & Malcom (for Semedo) with the objective of turning the result around. Barcelona took control & the initiative lead by Messi who was single handedly pulling his team onward. The opportunities arrived, Messi hit the post & Vidal missed a chance. The goal opportunities continued to come for Barça, Pique came close & Messi had free kicks, until a corner found the head of Lenglet with the ball stopped by the Valencia goalie but MESSI scored off the rebound in the 73rd. The comeback was possible.
Valencia Coach Marcelino took off his forwards & reinforced the midfield (change forced as Parejo injured himself) plus the strengthen the defence. Valencia CF managed to hold off the continued Barça attacks until the end, while GUEDES could have avoided the suffering earlier had he not missed two huge sitters ( one in front of the Barça goalie, the other with an empty Barça goal).
The whistle blew in the 95th min & VALENCIA CF proclaimed themselves Spanish Cup winners 2019 breaking the Barça reign of 4 straight years & winning the title 11 years later.
FC Barcelona tried hard in the last 20 minutes but missed dearly Luis Suarez upfront as there was no clear forward as reference. Some players were not up to the event with disappointing performance from Arthur & Coutinho, plus the Champions League semifinal elimination at Liverpool may have still been deep within the subconscious of some players.
As for Valencia great match, very focused & determined tonight & they rightly deserved the victory & title. A big trophy for the Club in their 100 year anniversary which will be greatly celebrated tonight by players & the city of Valencia CF.
FINAL RESULT: FC BARCELONA 1 - VALENCIA CF 2
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