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.
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