BARCELONA: Barcelona maintained their winning start to the season with a fine strike from Adriano Correia giving them a 1-0 victory over Valencia in La Liga action late on Sunday.
The Catalan side may have lost the domestic Super Cup to Real Madrid midweek, but they have now picked up maximum points from their first three league games that keeps them top of the table.
Barca full-back Adriano’s drive from outside the area after 23 minutes was the only goal of the game against a Valencia side who battled hard, but spent most of the game defending.
Former Arsenal midfielder Alex Song made his first start in a Barca shirt, with Sergio Busquets rested, and played alongside Xavi Hernandez and Cesc Fabregas.
Roberto Soldado went within inches of giving Valencia the lead after 11 minutes with a 25-yard strike that whistled past the post.
Lionel Messi had a header saved by keeper Diego Alves after 18 minutes, but the Valencia shot-stopper could do nothing about Adriano’s sweetly-struck drive later.
Cesc had the opportunity to extend the lead, but with time in the box after receiving the ball from Messi he dinked the ball wide. After the restart he blazed over the net from in front of goal.
Valencia were hanging on, but without a second goal Barca could not relax and had their hearts in their mouth several times especially when Victor Ruiz put the ball in the back of the net on the hour mark but was ruled off-side. (AFP)