Barca get some Lewarage

Barcelona, April 30

Barcelona survived a tricky first half to beat Valencia 4-2 with the help of a second-half hat-trick from Robert Lewandowski and a red card to Valencia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili.

On a rainy night in Catalonia, the hosts dominated possession but were behind at the break due to two defensive errors.

Fermin Lopez put Barcelona ahead with a lovely glancing header midway through the first half.

Valencia levelled just five minutes later thanks to a woeful intervention from keeper Marc Ter Stegen. He intercepted a long ball 25 yards from his goal but he tried to be too fancy and Hugo Duro easily dispossessed him and ran the ball into the empty net. Before halftime, Valencia took the lead thanks to another elementary mistake. Ronald Araujo’s mistimed tackle felled Peter Federico in the box and Pepelu coolly converted the spot-kick.

The momentum shifted just before the break when Mamardashvili used a hand outside the box to thwart a chance by Lamine Yamal and was red-carded. — AP