Barcelona blew away a miserable Valencia 7-1 on Sunday to get back on track in La Liga with a ruthless victory. Fermin Lopez struck twice for the Catalans in the first half, along with goals from Frenkie de Jong, Ferran Torres and Raphinha which gave Barcelona a commanding five-goal lead at the break. Hugo Duro pulled one back early in the second half before Robert Lewandowski pounced for Barca, followed by a Cesar Tarrega own goal, with the third-placed hosts earning just their second win in their last nine league matches.

Hansi Flick’s side trail La Liga leaders Real Madrid by seven points and second-placed Atletico Madrid by three.

“I think in La Liga we were in a bad dynamic and we needed this win, it’s very important and now we have to keep fighting,” Lopez told DAZN.

“The coach says everyone in the team is important, and whoever is playing we have to be up to it — that’s what being a team is and that’s how we can compete for the title. 

“There’s still a long way to go and we will fight until the end.”

Flick shuffled his pack against Valencia in order to spark a response given the club’s poor domestic form.

The coach began with Lewandowski and Ronald Araujo on the bench, while Pedri was absent because of a stomach bug, leading to De Jong, Ferran Torres and the superb Lopez all starting.

It took just three minutes for De Jong to open the scoring, with teenage star Lamine Yamal crossing for him in the area virtually unmarked, and he fired home.

Barcelona soon had their second, with Torres tucking home from Alejandro Balde’s cross, in similar fashion to the first goal but from the opposite flank.

The hosts moved three goals ahead in the 14th minute when Lopez clipped a fine ball over the top for Raphinha to run onto.

The Brazilian winger rounded Giorgi Mamardashvili and rolled home for his 12th league goal of the season.

Valencia, without the suspended Cristhian Mosquera, were struggling badly in defence and Barcelona broke in seemingly at will.

Lopez collected a perfectly measured Pau Cubarsi long pass for the fourth and although it was initially ruled offside, the decision was corrected by VAR.

Valencia thought they had won a penalty when Wojciech Szczesny brought down Hugo Duro but play was eventually brought back for a foul on Jules Kounde after another video review.

Lopez rattled home the fifth on the volley before half-time when Raphinha’s effort hit the post and fell nicely for him with the goalkeeper stranded.

‘Angry and sad’

Hugo Duro pulled one back for Valencia before the hour mark from Diego Lopez’s low cross and Flick responded by sending on La Liga’s top goalscorer Lewandowski.

The Polish forward finished clinically for his 17th league goal of the season after being sent through by Lopez for Barca’s sixth on the night.

Barcelona netted their seventh when Torres’ hammered cross was deflected into his own net by Tarrega.

“For me it was the perfect match,” Flick told reporters.

“(Fermin) today showed how good he was… he attacked everything and defended very well, with the ball he was unbelievable.”

Seven goals did not flatter Barcelona by any means and the thrashing is a setback for Carlos Corberan’s Valencia, 19th and four points from safety.

“I feel angry and sad for all the people who came to see us, all the fans watching at home, we have to say sorry because we weren’t up to the level of the game or the shirt that we represent,” said Valencia defender Jose Gaya.

“It was an enormous step backwards, we have to ask for forgiveness… we have to feel hurt after this, we can’t forget it, we have to focus that energy and rage into the next game.”

Earlier Athletic Bilbao, fourth, could only produce a 0-0 draw at home against Leganes, and now trail Barcelona by two points.

Relegation-battling Getafe earned an impressive 3-0 win at Real Sociedad to climb to 14th, while Rayo Vallecano came from behind to beat Girona 2-1.

Barcelona vs Valencia LIVE Streaming La Liga: Barcelona will be hoping to return to winning ways in La Liga, as they take on relegation-battling Valencia. After a superb start to their league campaign, Barcelona have failed to win their last four La Liga games. However, the Catalonian giants have been excellent in cup competitions, winning the Supercopa de Espana and securing qualification to the UEFA Champions League Round of 16. They will once again rely on their front three of Raphinha, Robert Lewandowski and Lamine Yamal to guide them to victory. On the other hand, Valencia sit 19th in the table, four points adrift of safety.

Barcelona vs Valencia LIVE Streaming details La Liga 2024/25 LIVE Telecast: Check Where and How to Watch

When will the Barcelona vs Valencia, La Liga match take place?

The Barcelona vs Valencia, La Liga match will take place on Monday, January 27 (IST).

Where will the Barcelona vs Valencia, La Liga match be held?

The Barcelona vs Valencia, La Liga match will be held at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys, Barcelona.

What time will the Barcelona vs Valencia, La Liga match start?

The Barcelona vs Valencia, La Liga match will start at 1:30 AM IST.

What TV channels will show the live telecast of the Barcelona vs Valencia, La Liga match?

The Barcelona vs Valencia, La Liga match will not be televised live in India.

Where to follow the live streaming of the Barcelona vs Valencia, La Liga match?

The Barcelona vs Valencia, La Liga match will be live streamed on the GXR World app and website.

(All details are as per information provided by the broadcaster)

Copa Del Rey: The quarter-finals will be played between February 4-6.© AFP

Vinicius Junior in action© AFP

Jude Bellingham made amends for missing a penalty by snatching 10-man Real Madrid a 2-1 victory at Valencia on Friday to take them top of La Liga after winger Vinicius Junior was sent off. Huro Duro sent the hosts ahead in the first half of a feisty clash but Luka Modric levelled for Carlo Ancelotti’s side before Bellingham pounced in stoppage time. Vinicius, who squared off with Valencia supporters who racially abused him at the same stadium in 2022, was dismissed for shoving Los Che goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski in the back of the neck with little over 10 minutes remaining.

Madrid were trailing at the time but Bellingham set up veteran midfielder Modric to level in the 85th minute and spark a superb comeback.

Bellingham broke in to strike in the 96th minute after a Valencia defensive error, sending Madrid two points clear of Atletico Madrid at the top of the table, having played a game more than Diego Simeone’s team.

“(Bellingham had a) great game, he didn’t dip after the missed penalty, it gave him extra motivation,” said Ancelotti.

“He made an extraordinary effort… (scoring) was a reward for him for the game he had.”

Ancelotti said he did not think Vinicius’ push deserved a red card and was surprised by his team’s poor start to the match.

“We didn’t think it was a red card… he went off and the team reacted, to the red, the missed penalty.

“It’s hard to explain how badly we did in the first half and how good we did in the second, even with 10 men.

“It’s three very important points, deserved, but we can’t show these two sides (of ourselves).”

Los Blancos’ trip to face Valencia was postponed at the end of October after devastating flooding in the region on Spain’s east coast.

Sitting 19th, Valencia appointed Carlos Corberan to replace former coach Ruben Baraja during the winter break, pinching the Spaniard from English Championship club West Bromwich Albion.

The hosts made a strong start, shackling Madrid’s star-studded attack before making the breakthrough after 27 minutes.

Dimitri Foulquier cut the ball back for Javi Guerra, whose shot was superbly saved by Thibaut Courtois but Duro turned the rebound into the empty net.

‘Thanks team’

Mbappe was kept silent in the first half but a burst of pace in behind early in the second earned Madrid a penalty, when Tarrega was adjudged to have brought him down.

Bellingham was tasked with dispatching the spot kick but jumped just before he struck the ball and skidded a low effort against the post.

Replays indicated Valencia goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski was off his line when the penalty was taken, but it was not spotted by the officials.

Mbappe, who missed two penalties for Madrid before Christmas himself, thought he had pulled Los Blancos level when he skipped around Dimitrievski and tucked home, but he was fractionally offside.

Madrid were reduced to 10 men when Vinicius shoved Dimitrievski in the back of the neck after Valencia’s goalkeeper had pushed him, after the Brazilian hit the deck under a fair challenge in the box.

Despite their numerical disadvantage Madrid pulled level when Bellingham nudged the ball through for substitute Modric, 39, to stab home.

The former Borussia Dortmund man snatched the winner when Foulquier’s poor pass put team-mate Hugo Guillamon under pressure, and Bellingham raced on to his attempted back pass to finish with aplomb.

It was his sixth goal in his last seven games across all competitions, with Bellingham once again showing the goalscoring form that helped him become an instant hit with Madrid last season.

“Sorry and thanks team,” said Vinicius on social media platform X after his colleagues spared his blushes.

Valencia’s Luis Rioja struck the post with a vicious effort from distance in the 100th minute, inches away from snatching his side a last-gasp draw.

Valencia, who have not won in La Liga since November, are four points from safety.

“I don’t care (about scoring), the important thing was the three points and we didn’t get them,” said goalscorer Duro.

“I hope I don’t score a single goal in the rest of the season and we win the rest of our games 1-0 with an own goal.”

Real Madrid vs Valencia Live Streaming, La Liga 2024/25 Live Telecast© AFP

File image of Carlos Corberan© X (Twitter)

Sedavi:

Rescuers raced Thursday to find survivors and victims of once-in-a-generation floods in Spain that killed at least 95 people and left towns submerged in a muddy deluge with overturned cars scattered in the streets.

About 1,000 troops joined police and firefighters in the grim search for bodies in the Valencia region as Spain started three days of mourning. The toll will rise because “there are many missing people”, territorial policy minister Angel Victor Torres predicted late Wednesday.

Up to a year’s rain fell in a few hours on the eastern city of Valencia and surrounding region on Tuesday sending torrents of water and mud through towns and cities.

Authorities said Paiporta, in the Valencia suburbs, had been devastated with about 40 people dead, including a mother and baby swept away by a torrent.

Rescuers have scrambled to get survivors off roofs with helicopters while others have searched houses some with water up to their necks. 

As dawn rose Thursday, tens of thousands of homes were still without electricity and drinking water and many roads were blocked by the carcasses of hundreds of cars and trucks swept away in sudden torrents. 

Emergency services carried out 200 rescues on the ground and 70 aerial evacuations on Wednesday, said Valencia regional government chief Carlos Mazon.

Valencia’s emergency services announced a provisional death toll of 92, adding that bodies were still being recovered. Two people died in neighbouring Castilla-La Mancha and another victim was reported in Andalusia in the south, officials said.

A sea of piled-up cars and mud swamped streets in Sedavi, a suburb of the Mediterranean city of Valencia, AFP journalists saw.

Stunned residents battled to clear sludge and water from their homes. 

‘Spain weeps’

In Ribarroja del Turia on the outskirts of Valencia city, town councillor Esther Gomez said workers were stuck overnight in an industrial estate “without a chance of rescuing them” as streams overflowed.

“It had been a long time since this happened and we’re scared,” she told AFP.

According to Spain’s weather service AEMET, Chiva, west of Valencia, recorded 491 mm of rain in just eight hours on Tuesday — almost equalling a year’s worth.

“All of Spain weeps with all of you… We won’t abandon you,” Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez told victims and their families in a televised address.

Sanchez was to head for Valencia on Thursday.

The disaster could not be considered over and “we will deploy all the necessary resources for as long as necessary so that we can recover from this tragedy,” he added.

King Felipe VI said he was “devastated” by the disaster and offered “heartfelt condolences” to families of the victims.

Damage to telephone networks and flooded roads hampered efforts to reach stricken communities but rescuers’ access to all urban hubs was restored by Wednesday evening, Mazon said.

Some 155,000 homes were without electricity in Valencia region due to the storm, energy company Iberdrola said.

The European Union activated its Copernicus satellite system to help coordinate Spanish rescue teams, EU commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said in Brussels.

The bloc has also offered to use its civil protection mechanism to send further reinforcements, she said.

Warning system scrutinised

Officials in the Valencia region announced survivors were being sheltered in temporary accommodation such as fire stations.

Rail and air transport remained severely disrupted. The high-speed line between Valencia and Madrid will be suspended for at least four days, the Adif rail infrastructure authority announced.

The flood toll is Spain’s deadliest since 1973 when at least 150 people were estimated to have died in the southeastern provinces of Granada, Murcia and Almeria.

Scientists have warned that extreme weather events such as the storm that hit Valencia are becoming more intense, last longer and occur more frequently as a result of human-induced climate change.

Such extremes “can overwhelm the ability of existing defences and contingency plans to cope, even in a relatively wealthy country like Spain”, said Leslie Mabon, senior lecturer in environmental systems at Britain’s Open University.

The heavy death toll came after warnings for extreme rainfall, suggesting Valencia’s flood alert system failed, said Hannah Cloke, hydrology professor at the University of Reading.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)