Barcelona vs Valencia Copa del Rey Final preview
Channel: 3BH NEWS
Date: 26/05/2019

#audio #breaking #news #politics #3bhnews  #sport #barcelona #catalan #valencia #copadelrey #final #football #match 
Two first half goals for Valencia proved to be enough for Marcelino's men with Lionel Messi offering hope for Barça pulling a goal back in the 73rd minute.
Barcelona vs Valencia: Copa del Rey Final: as it happened
Valencia beat Barcelona 2-1 to win the Copa del Rey on Saturday in Seville,ending the Spanish champions' four-year winning streak in the competition and denying them a domestic double.
Kevin Gameiro and Rodrigo Moreno struck first-half goals to give Marcelino's dominant Valencia control of the final in Seville's Benito Villamarin stadium.
Record 30-times Cup winners Barcelona struggled without injured duo Luis Suarez and Ousmane Dembele but Lionel Messi pulled the Catalans back into the game with a finish from close range.
Gonçalo Guedes missed a gilt-edged chance in stoppage-time for Valencia but they held on to win their first major trophy since last lifting the Cup in 2008.
Barcelona played their role ... But the focus will be on Ernesto Valverde and I fear that the impact of the Anfield defeat coupled with tonight's game will run and run.
So a 4th place in LaLiga and Copa del Rey win for Valencia ...not a bad season for the club in their centenary year. Well done VCF ! 
Parejo in floods of tears !
Great, great game with drama right to the end ..... Messi's goal gave the game an injection of life and the final 15' were pure drama   
"United together" is the motto from the Barça tifo. (We'll try and get you pix of these as soon as we can ....) 
"Dreaming has no limits" reads the Valencia tifo from the north stand of the stadium 
Both teams make their way into the pitch ... Valencia in white shirts, socks with black socks...Barça in their classic azul-grana and navy shorts 
Both sides have played out two draws in ther league meetings: 2-2 at Camp Nou and a 1-1 draw at Mestalla.   
Can Barça really be thinking of terminating Valverde's time at the club should they not secure a win ?
Valencia fans in big numbers ahead of the kick off ... the Benito Villamarin is a riot of colour as the game looms. 
Plenty litres of the local tipple (Cruzcampo) consumed in large volumes by both fan groups in the Andalusian capital earlier today. 
David Bisbal (Spain's Robbie Williams, Justin Timberlake) takes to the stage with a quick medley of his greatest hits. Much indifference from the bulk of Barça and VCF fans it has to be said.   
Big night tonight for match official Undiano Mallenco who hangs up his whistle after the game. He oversaw Real Madrid-Betis last Sunday closing time on his LaLiga career.  
Valencia tonight in their special centenary kit of classic white.   
Both sides set to wear their traditional kits this evening. Barça the "home side" with their iconic azul-grana. 
A warm pre-summer evening in the city of Seville today where temps. were over 30 degrees earlier.  
A Valencia triumph tonight paying out at 5/1.  
Barça firm favourites with the bookmakers to retain their Copa del Reytitle with a payback of 1.50 euro per euro placed.  
Fans filling up the ground as kick-off looms closer....
Real Betis' Estadio Benito Villamarin is the venue for the final as Barça aim for five back to back cup wins. Valencia are aiming for their eigth Copa triumph in their history. 
Hello and welcome to live coverage of the 2018-19 Copa del Rey final (from Seville) as FC Barcelona face Valencia CF with a 21:00 CEST start.  

Barcelona vs Valencia: Copa del Rey Final preview
Such is the current level of expectation at FC Barcelona, even a Copa del Rey triumph this evening for the Catalan side will be tainted and viewed by many Culés as an underachievement with the hangover to the Champions League defeat at Anfield still lingering.
Despite bagging the domestic league title some weeks ago, the defeat to Liverpool was the focal point of the Barça press conference last night where Gerard Pique, Lionel Messi and Ernesto Valverde faced questions from the media with the Anfield defeat and subsequent fall-out the focal point of the questioning.
Valencia come into the game with a slightly more positive dynamic hanging around the club who celebrate their centenary this year. Despite elimination from the 2018-19 UEFA Europa League at the hands of arsenal in the semi-final, a subsequent fourth place in LaLiga thus guaranteeing Champions League football at Mestallanext season has been the perfect tonic for Marcelino's men coming into the final.
What they said, ahead of the game captain's from both sides analysed the Sevilla Copa del Rey final.
Lionel Messi (Barcelona): “This season we have put in some great performances and we have to give it all being aware of the importance of a final with the chance to win a trophy.”