By Daily Sports on May 26, 2019
Kevin Gameiro and Rodrigo scored as a valiant Valencia beat La Liga champions Barcelona to win the Copa del Rey.
Ernesto Valverde’s men said in the build-up that a win would help ease some of the pain of the Champions League loss to Liverpool, but they were sub-par again, in the Seville heat.
French forward Gameiro fired in a superb strike to give Valencia the lead before Rodrigo headed in the second.
Lionel Messi’s 73rd-minute strike gave Barca hope but they fell short.
After the match, Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu backed Valverde to continue at the Nou Camp.
“I’ve always said that Ernesto has a contract for the next season, he’s the coach,” he said.
“I do not think this defeat is the coach’s fault.”
Valverde said: “When a coach loses you want to go again, to fight to overcome the next challenge. I know losing for this club is hard.”
Temperatures reached north of 30C inside Real Betis’ packed Estadio Benito Villamarin, but only one side wilted.
Victory meant coach Marcelino Garcia Toral ended a personal 20-game winless run in all competitions against Barcelona. (BBC)
•Photo shows Valencia players celebrating their victory over Barcelona on Saturday
Source Daily Sports
Posted May 26, 2019
You may also like...
Ikpeba backs Osimhen to break Yekini’s record
Ronaldo buys Spanish football team
Pochettino Named New Coach Of Paris Saint-Germain
Galatasaray sacks two Nigerians
Mourinho targets first major silverware with Manchester United...
Tony Bellew wants Michael Bisping fight
Gala intensify Osimhen’s special recovery plan
Core Afrique stages first NBF-sanctioned pro event
Professional, amateur golfers tee off at landmark Edo event
Ndidi resumes training after injury layoff
NPFL halts season for Federation Cup
National school volleyball championships begin in Lagos
AFN opens World Relays camp in Lagos
NOC Mourns Galadima, Describes Late Administrator As ‘Principled Visionary’
Musa dents Rivers title hopes as Rangers go top
Nwabali linked with Kaizer Chiefs, Simba SC
New winners emerge at Osun national table tennis tourney
Ex-int’l Disu optimistic ahead SAMDA U-13 tourney
Most Read
Rangers International going, going . . . (63,718 views)
Amaju Pinnick: A cat with nine lives (55,045 views)
Second Term: Amaju Pinnick, Other NFF Heavyweights Home to Roost •How Pinnick Broke the Jinx (52,966 views)
Current issues in Nigerian sports: Matters arising (52,563 views)
Sports Development: Zenith Bank on the zenith (52,492 views)
Missing $150,000 IAAF Grant: Solomon Dalung’s Hide and Seek game (52,394 views)
Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje’s solid footprints, commitment to sports development in Kano State (52,244 views)
NFF Presidency: Pinnick, Maigari, Ogunjobi, Okoye in Battle for Supremacy (51,791 views)
Olopade, BET9A wave of revolution in NNL (50,981 views)
Commonwealth Games 2018: Shame of Muhammadu Buhari, Solomon Dalung (49,489 views)
Ibrahimovic’s Man U exit: Whose decision is it? And in whose interest? (47,899 views)
John Mikel Obi: Segun Odegbami’s Outrageous Call! (47,366 views)