New Valencia head coach Gary Neville watched from the stand as Santi Mina's equaliser ensured La Liga leaders Barcelona were held to a draw.

Luis Suarez's 44th goal in 64 matches for Barca looked to have earned them a seventh straight league win.

The home side, led by interim head coach Voro and Neville's brother Phil, were second best for long spells.

But the visitors paid for missing a host of chances as forward Mina, who turns 20 on Monday, lashed in late on.

It was the teenager's first goal since joining Valencia from Celta Vigo in the summer, and came after Paco Alcacer had chested down a long ball to set him up.

Plenty of spirit brings reward

Ruben Vezo was frequently left trailing by Neymar during a testing evening

Neville, who takes charge officially on Sunday, arrives at the Mestalla to take over a team languishing in the middle of La Liga after qualifying for the Champions League in May.

He will have been encouraged by a Valencia performance far better than was put forward in the 1-0 defeat at Sevilla last Sunday that preceded Nuno Espirito Santo's resignation.

This was a point earned against the odds. Valencia were missing 10 senior players for the visit of the Spanish champions, and it showed at times.

Ultimate Guide to La Liga Weekend: Separating Top-4 Certainties from Challengers

The start of any La Liga season—or any domestic top flight—always brings up one or two teams that start in terrific form and quickly give false optimism to fans hoping for a big year, pundits hoping for a new side to think about in the race for Europe or to presidents and chairmen hoping not to have to sack the manager by October.

Inevitably, those teams begin to fade away as genuine quality, or lack thereof, squad depth, or lack thereof, and better opposition than the early fixtures provided get in the way of a sustained run at the top positions.

This year in Spain, Eibar and Deportivo La Coruna made those typically interesting starts. The former are still there or thereabouts, but they will likely plummet down the table a few spots soon enough—perhaps not quite as drastically as last season, though, when they finished in the relegation positions and were only reinstated to the division because of Elche's debt-related demotion.

That will leave the typical top-four challenge to be resumed: Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid, Barcelona and one of a clutch of teams fighting among themselves for fourth.

Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images

The key difference this year? All four of the sides capable of challenging for fourth are, in fact, actually capable. They're all extremely good.

Sevilla, Valencia, Villarreal and Celta Vigo. Four clubs, three different primary formations, each with very different ways of working the transfer market and all with the capacity in key areas—technical ability, managerial quality, a genuine standout talent or two—to make fourth place their own over the course of the season. The battle between them in this campaign will be memorable, long-running and exciting.

Celta Vigo currently lead the way, sitting in third, with Villarreal (fifth, one point back from Celta), Valencia (seventh, five from Villarreal) and Sevilla (11th, three from Valencia) all chasing.

This time around, things are set for a shake-up. The challengers and contenders are pitted against each other and the established order. The big guns. The perennial title threats. None of the quartet escapes with an easy week to gain back points on the others; Matchday 11 is a big moment of truth. Can they compete? Can they produce when it matters most? Can they extend a great start into a fantastic first half-season?

Some of them have already taken impressive one-off results. Celta beat Barcelona; Villarreal beat Atletico.

Points in isolation mean little; consistency in beating rivals is where challenges—for cups, league places and trophies—are really made. By Sunday night, some of those managers, fans and groups of players could be full to the brim with optimism that this season could be their time to take fourth and reach the Champions League.

Oh, and Eibar could end the week one point off fourth.

Manuel Queimadelos Alonso/Getty Images

 nguon:  bleacherreport

La Liga Results 2015 Week 11: Final Scores and Updated Table After Saturday

Celta Vigo missed a golden opportunity to join Real Madrid and Barcelona at the top of La Liga on Saturday following a 5-1 defeat at home to Valencia.

Paco Alcacer and Dani Parejo each netted two goals for Los Che as they climbed back into Spain's top six by sealing back-to-back league wins for the first time this season.

Basque outfit Eibar moved back into the top six after defeating 10-man Getafe 3-1 at Ipurua, and a 2-1 win over relegation-threatened Granada was enough to move Rayo Vallecano back up to mid-table. 

Read on for a breakdown of Saturday's Week 11 results, complete with recap and how the latest scores affect La Liga's standings.

Valencia breathed new life into their La Liga campaign on Saturday after hammering Celta Vigo 5-1 at Balaidos, even though it was the hosts who looked like the more controlling outfit for long periods of the fixture.

Alcacer opened the scoring inside 13 minutes only for Augusto Fernandez to level the scoring for Celta, but an expertly executed Parejo free-kick on the stroke of half-time assured Los Che a 2-1 lead heading in at the break.

MIGUEL RIOPA/Getty Images

It was in the second period that Nuno Espirito Santo's side really took flight, however, as Alcacer and Parejo added one more goal each to the tally, while defender Shkodran Mustafi headed in a late fifth to complete the rout.

Bleacher Report's Tim Collins illustrated Celta perhaps weren't four goals inferior to Valencia, but the clinical form of the visitors' attack led them to three points and moved Los Che to within two points of the top four:

nguon:  bleacherreport

We have to keep working like before and focus on the goal of the Champions League"

Valencia CF player José Gayà speaks after the defeat last weekend at the Camp Nou, in which VCF performed well despite not emerging victorious.

The young full back, who reappeared after almost three weeks out through injury, was very satisfied with his return to competition and with the team's showing. He and his teammates will now focus on next Monday and a game against the Granada CF, in the first of  ‘six finals' left in their chase for a spot in next season's Champions League.

Facts and trivia about Valencia CF vs Granada CF

Pre-match stats ahead of Monday's clash

• Both teams have played one another a total of 54 times, with a record of 30 wins, eight draws and 16 defeats for Valencia CF.
• The first match between the two took place in 1941 at the Los Carmenes stadium, and ended with Valencia winning 1-2.
• Valencia CF have never lost at home to Granada CF: In 26 encounters, they have 23 wins and three draws.
• The biggest win against the Andalusian side took place in 1975. The Primera División match ended 7-1.
• Last season Valencia CF won 2-1, with a goal in the last minute fromRuben Vezo. Paco Alcácer had scored beforehand.

Aritz Aduriz's late equaliser give Athletic draw against Valencia

Former Valencia striker Aritz Aduriz denied his old team victory with a last-gasp equaliser at San Mames Stadium.

Aduriz pounced in the 90th minute to secure a share of the La Liga spoils after Valencia had been reduced to 10 men.

Nicolas Otamendi harshly received a straight red card eight minutes earlier for a high challenge, and Valencia were unable to hold out in his absence.

Substitute Rodrigo De Paul had given the visitors a deserved lead 16 minutes into the second period, but even though they were unable to claim maximum points, a draw took them above Sevilla into fourth place in their pursuit of possible Champions League qualification.

Valencia went into the game without suspended skipper Dani Parejo, while injuries sidelined Jose Gaya and Enzo Perez, increasing the visitors' degree of difficulty as they looked to keep the heat on Sevilla.

Valencia drew 0-0 with Athletic at the Mestalla earlier this season, and first-half exchanges proved cagey, with neither side threatening to break the deadlock.

Athletic's Mikel Balenziaga collected a 10th-minute yellow card for a foul, and the opening 45 minutes proved to be a stop-start affair as clear-cut chances were at a premium.

Aduriz followed his team-mate Balenziaga into the referee's notebook, while Valencia's Andre Gomes also collected a caution as half-time approached and after the visitors saw Pablo Piatti depart nursing a hamstring injury, with De Paul replacing him.

Valencia dominated the early stages of the second-half, and some impressive build-up play finally gained its reward when De Paul calmly finished to complete a fine move and leave Athletic trailing.

But Otamendi's dismissal ensured a fraught finale for Valencia, and it was Aduriz who had the last word.

Valencia trounce Levante to stay in Champions League hunt

Valencia claimed a comfortable 3-0 win over relegation-threatened Levante in the Primera Division on Monday night to keep them firmly in the race for Champions League football.

Paco Alcacer and Sofiane Feghouli both scored in the first half before Alvaro Negredo added the gloss in stoppage time at Estadio Mestalla.

The win moved Valenica one point adrift of third-placed Atletico Madrid while Levante remained in the bottom three, three points from safety.

Levante had several chances but they were unable to make any of them count as they continued to struggle.

Andreas Ivanschitz saw his early header from the middle of the box go close before Simao sent one wide shortly after.

Alcacer then had an effort blocked but the Valencia striker did not have to wait long to get on the scoresheet as he headed into the top left-hand corner in the 16th minute to give the hosts the lead.

Feghouli doubled Valencia's advantage 20 minutes later with another header from a similar position in the middle of the box for a comfortable 2-0 lead at the break.

The second half started in similar fashion to the first with Levante going close but ultimately missing a chance, this time when Ivan Lopez saw his strike hit the bar in the 46th minute.

Shkodran Mustafi saw his header blocked at the other end shortly after the hour mark before the defender had a shot saved by Levante keeper Diego Marino.

Valencia started to take charge again and Joao Cancelo went close in the 73rd minute with a strike which went wide of the right post.

However, the home side finished with a flourish thanks to substitute Negredo, who fired into the top right corner from outside of the area in the third minute of stoppage time.

Alvaro Negredo hopeful of Valencia beating Barcelona again

Valencia's Alvaro Negredo says his team are capable of winning at Barcelona's Camp Nou for a second successive year.

La Liga leaders Barcelona host fourth-placed Valencia on Saturday afternoon, having won 21 and drawn one of their last 23 games in all competitions, and with confidence further boosted by Wednesday's 3-1 Champions League quarterfinal first leg win at Paris Saint-Germain.

However, Los Che are on their own good run, being unbeaten in their last ten La Liga outings and head into Saturday...

Jose Luis Gaya not joining Real Madrid, says Valencia president

Jose Luis Gaya will not be leaving Valencia for Real Madrid, according to the club's president Amadeo Salvo.

Gaya, 19, has impressed at left-back this season and has reportedly attracted the attention of both Madrid and and Manchester City.

The Spain under-21 international is said to have an €18 million (£12.9m) buyout clause in his current contract and is currently tied to Valencia until 2018. However, Salvo insists that he will extend his stay at the Mestalla in a bid to ward off interest from other clubs.

"Gaya will renew with Valencia, he's not joining Madrid," he told reporters on Friday. "You can quote me on that in your respective newspapers."

Lionel Messi nets 400th goal as Barcelona beat Valencia to extend lead

Lionel Messi scored his 400th goal for Barcelona to round off a nervy but vital 2-0 win over Valencia to keep the Catalans top of the Primera Division.

The Argentinian scored with the last kick of the game after Luis Suarez had opened the scoring inside the first minute of the match, but this impressive Valencia side were unlucky not to take more from the game, and Dani Parejo passed up an opportunity to equalise in the first half from the penalty spot.

However, Barcelona made it to half-time unscathed and then produced a solid second-half performance to take the three points.

The Catalans remain first in the Primera Division thanks to the win, while Valencia stay in fourth, suffering just their second league defeat in 2015.

Luis Enrique made a number of changes to the side that beat Paris St Germain 3-1 three days earlier, bringing in Adriano for Jordi Alba and Xavi for the injured Andres Iniesta. He also deployed two holding midfielders in Sergio Busquets and Javier Mascherano, with Jeremy Mathieu partnering Gerard Pique at the back -just as he had done against Valencia at the Mestalla in November.

The plan conversely gave Barca a lot less control in the middle of park than they would have wanted, even though they got off to a dream start.

Pique halted a Valencia break and gave the ball to Busquets, who released Messi on the right. The Argentinian glided towards the box and slipped the ball to Suarez, who poked it under Diego Alves to score his third goal in four days and 10th in his last 11 matches.

Valencia took no time to react. Rodrigo raced into the box from the left and pulled his shot just wide of the far post.

The visitors were then given a golden opportunity to level on 10 minutes when Rodrigo went to ground after a soft-looking challenge from Pique. Parejo had scored all his penalties taken this season but, perhaps distracted by the immense noise from the home fans, got little power on his spot-kick and Claudio Bravo guessed correctly to catch the ball.

However, Valencia continued to fly forward. Nicolas Otamendi headed wide at the near post, then Paco Alcacer appeared at the near post to meet a cross but sent his shot wide of the other post.

The Spain international later struck a post and on another break blazed over the bar. Barca were powerless to stop Valencia's storm of attacks but at the other end Messi should have doubled their lead before half-time, firing wide at the near post with his right boot.

Messi came even closer to scoring his milestone goal for Barcelona when his free-kick clipped the crossbar 20 minutes into the second half.

The second period was a much more tranquil affair for the Catalans, with Luis Enrique wisely bringing on Ivan Rakitic for Adriano after the break, reverting to the team's usual 4-3-3 formation.

Valencia were afforded far less space as a result of the tactical switch and created only one chance of note, when Rodrigo stuck out a leg to direct a loose ball in a crowded box towards goal, but Bravo made another important save.

Pedro could have sealed the points but his near-post shot was tipped away by Alves, and Valencia then threw all their outfield players forward in search of an stoppage-time equaliser.

However, Barcelona cleared quickly and Messi raced free towards goal. He failed to beat Alves with his initial shot but the ball bounced kindly into his path, allowing him to slot the ball into an empty net and pass yet another milestone in his sensational career for the club.

Valencia an emerging force

Valencia came to Camp Nou unbeaten in 10 games and looking well set for Champions League qualification for next season. The run has ended but their status as an emerging power is confirmed.

A lot of teams would fold after falling 1-0 behind before all the fans had taken to their seats. But Valencia showed superb character to react to going behind and should really have been ahead in the game by half-time.

Rodrigo, Feghouli, Andre Gomes and Paco Alcacer were superb in the first half, showing a mix of physicality and skill that the Barca defence just could not deal with. Valencia's finishing was awry however, with only two shots on target from their nine attempts in the first half. Paco Alcacer struck the post when free 15 yards out and ex-Madrid midfielder Parejo's penalty was poorly hit.

The visitors were less dangerous in the second half although the introduction of Alvaro Negredo with 15 minutes remaining did boost them.

By the end Barca were well in control, and only excellent defending from centre-back pairing Nicolas Otamendi and Shkodran Mustafi kept the score down.

Suarez nets and Messi reaches milestone as Barca beat Valencia

BARCELONA, Spain -- Three quick observations from Barcelona's 2-0 win over Valencia in Saturday's La Liga clash at the Camp Nou.

1. Messi's 400 milestone

Lionel Messi was outstanding, as he reached 400 goals for Barcelona.

His first intervention was not a huge surprise. With less than a minute on the clock, Sergio Busquets' precise ball forward sent Messi running clear between the lines. His pass was perfectly timed for Luis Suarez, who had the simple enough job of poking the ball past Valencia goalkeeper Diego Alves. Just 55 seconds had gone and Messi had his 24th assist in all competitions this season.

He was also instrumental in a quick break early in second half but Neymar's header did not match the earlier approach work. Soon afterwards another beautifully scooped pass almost created a chance for Dani Alves, but the offside flag was up. A driving run was stopped by Dani Parejo's foul just 20 yards out, with the subsequent free kick hitting the post.

You sensed Messi fancied a goal to crown his performance and there were three or four typical runs into a shooting position but each time a visiting defender just got a foot in to block.

Then on 92 minutes, Neymar's ball sent his fellow attacker clear with only Alves to beat. The Valencia goalkeeper saved his first scooped shot but the rebound fell kindly and Messi gleefully thumped the ball to the net

It was not the prettiest of Messi's 400 goals for Barca, or the most important. But he had been by far the game's most influential player over the 90 minutes.

2. Barcelona weather the storm to stay top

Barcelona were ahead inside just 55 seconds here through Suarez but ended up riding their luck for long periods of the game before Messi's injury-time goal secured what looks a key victory in the La Liga title race.

It all seemed to be going to plan inside the first minute as Busquets' pass found Messi's run and Suarez finished clinically.

But Valencia kept attacking relentlessly and should have been at least level, with Parejo's penalty saved by Claudio Bravo. Barca coach Luis Enrique had spoken of concerns about fatigue, given that Barca's players did not get to bed until 5 a.m. on Thursday morning following the previous night's 3-1 Champions League win at Paris Saint-Germain. Valencia, who have no European distractions this year, certainly looked fresher as they pressed the Barca players into mistake after mistake.

Gerard Pique mixed some vital interventions with some slack moments -- including conceding the penalty for a foul on Valencia winger Rodrigo. Sofiane Feghouli tormented his marker Adriano Correia, who had a shocker at left-back.

Adriano only lasted until half-time, when he was replaced by Ivan Rakitic in a general reshuffle that saw Javier Mascherano back from midfield into defence. This definitely helped Barca, who looked more balanced on the pitch, while Valencia also appeared to run out of gas and inspiration as the game went on.

The home side controlled the closing stages, and there were even pretty sustained chants of "Luis Enrique, Luis Enrique" at the Camp Nou. The Catalans stretched their lead in the table to five points, at least until Real Madrid's home game against Malaga later on Saturday afternoon.

As the games pass their phenomenal run of results continues -- this makes it 22 wins and one draw in their last 24 games in all competitions. Which is not half bad.

Luis Enrique calls Barcelona's win over Valencia a 'fair result'

Barcelona coach Luis Enrique praised his side's "effectiveness" after their not-as-easy-as-the-scoreline-suggests 2-0 La Liga win over Valencia at the Camp Nou on Saturday afternoon.

Barca scored in the first minute through Luis Suarez and with the last kick of the game from Lionel Messi, while Valencia rued a missed penalty by midfielder Dani Parejo during a spell of almost total domination for the visitors in the first half.

The three points, however, kept Barca's lead in the Primera Division at two points, after Real Madrid defeated Malaga later on Saturday afternoon.

Asked at his post-match news conference if Barcelona's final scoreline was "unjust," Luis Enrique said that what mattered in football was taking your chances, not creating them.

"Unjust never," Luis Enrique said. "Victories are decided by what you do over 90 minutes. And effectiveness is very important in football. Without that it is difficult to win games.

"Valencia's best opportunity was a penalty saved well by Bravo, and they had many other chances. In the second half however we were the better team. So it is a fair result."

Luis Enrique did admit that Valencia's intensity and high-pressing game had caused Barca lots of problems during the opening 45 minutes.

"It was a different game than others we have played at Camp Nou," he said. "The start was marvellous for us, then we had problems coming through their pressure. They caused us a lot of problems, we made problems we usually do not make.

"The players are not robots, or machines, we were imprecise, made mistakes in passing and positioning. We found it hard to get out, and they had lots of chances, and deserved more."

A half-time change, when left-back Adriano Correia was replaced by midfielder Ivan Rakitic amid a general tactical reshuffle, had helped his team, Luis Enrique said.

"In the second half we restructured our play on the ball, we made some changes," he said. "Adriano had a yellow card, and they have fast players. It worked well for us, we were able to put together longer attacks, and bring game to place we wanted.

"We changed our shape a bit in second half, and it was easier to have a player free to receive the ball, and get it forward to our attackers. In football, often things happen that you have to improve."

Messi played superbly throughout, providing the assist for Suarez opener, and then finishing the game by scoring his 400th Barca goal. Luis Enrique did not however heap praise on the Argentine's display, although he did praise the hard work put in by all his forward line.

"Messi and the forwards showed solidarity with the team," he said. "They have given us what we always ask of them. Their help to defend."

Barca had done their "homework" now, Luis Enrique said, and challengers Madrid would have to win to keep pace, with one game less in the La Liga season.

"If we do our work, it is harder for those coming from behind," he said. "Above all against a team like Valencia, we saw how good they are in the first half. There are six games left to play, and lots of points up for grabs. We have done our work, now over to the others."

Luis Enrique was also asked if he were worried about his job for next season, given the possibility of former president Joan Laporta taking charge again at the Camp Nou and reinstalling ex-coach Pep Guardiola after the summer's presidential elections.

"I live the present with such intensity, that I do not worry about what might happen in 10 hours time," was the snap reply.

Speaking earlier in the Camp Nou press room, Valencia coach Nuno rejected any suggestion he should be happy with how his team had played, saying he was leaving "hurt and angry" at not having been able to get something from the game.

"We played a really good first half, with so many chances, so we are left sad, injured, angry, as we deserved more," Nuno said. "We went for the victory. So we feel screwed by this.

"We are not really thinking about being proud of our performance. We are mad. What matters is to win. The pressing we do takes a lot out of us. Our spirits dropped a bit in the second half, and also Barca put a lot of quality players like Messi, Rakitic, Xavi [Hernandez] and [Sergio] Busquets in midfield to hold possession. But we did some fantastic work."

La Liga: FC Barcelona 2-0 Valencia CF: Player Ratings

By Bostjan Cernensek, Sam Cooper, and Ahmed Shahin on Apr 20, 
2015
A detailed, player-by-player breakdown of Barcelona's hard-fought La Liga win against Valencia.
Bravo was one of the stars in this game. Even though he "only" ended the game with two saves, each one of them proved to be necessary for Barcelona to secure the three points. The highlight of his performance was the save he made on Dani Parejo’s penalty attempt early in the game. Bravo also made a lovely diving save late in the game on Rodrigo Moreno, but he also had to give a friendly love tap to his right post for bailing him out in the first half. Bravo exhibited good control of the air space, collecting numerous crosses. The Chilean picked up a late yellow card for wasting time.
Dani Alves
Another game, another mixed showing. It’s becoming really infuriating that in the same game Alves can show glimpses of his brilliant old self and be a turnover machine. Alves, by far, led the team in tackles, he completed an astonishing ten tackles, the next closest Barcelona player had four. But while that might insinuate on a dominating defensive game by the Brazilian, it was anything but as Alves often struggled in defensive coverage. As expected, Alves didn’t struggle as much on offense where he combined with his teammates very well, though he had the second worst passing accuracy of all Barcelona players.
Gerard Pique

Should we be getting worried about Pique? This was his second consecutive shaky game in La Liga, though he made even more mistakes in this one than he made againstSevilla. Pique improved in the second half, in which he made a couple of good plays, but the first half was beyond poor. Not only did he carelessly gave up a penalty kick, he also made several poor choices with the ball, none worse than in the 21st minute when he bone-headedly attempted a diagonal pass only to have it intercepted, resulting in two dangerous scoring chances.
Jeremy Mathieu

Like most of his teammates in the backline, Mathieu also struggled in the first half. In it we saw the return of the "panicky Mathieu" who loves to "clear" the ball to the closest opponent, a couple times gifting chances to Valencia in the first half. Mathieu cleaned up his act after the break when he moved to the left-back position, where he looked much more comfortable than he did in some game against some team playing in white. The Frenchman didn’t get forward much, but when he did he combined with his teammates solidly.

Adriano Correia To say that Adriano struggled in the 45 minute he spent on the pitch would be an understatement. He often strayed out of position, something he continuously tried to correct by fouling Valencia players, giving them numerous chances to score from set-pieces, resulting in a yellow card. Though I have to give him credit for making a crucial block on Sofiane Feghouli around the half-hour mark. Adriano also offered very little in attack.