In front of a packed crowd at the Mestalla, Barcelona faced Valencia in what turned out to be a pivotal early season La Liga duel.
With a run of three La Liga games without a win, Barcelona needed to start orchestrating a win streak to gain ground in the league table. Add to the fact that Real Madrid lost to Alaves and this all but felt like a must-win game for Barca. On the other hand, Valencia desperately needed a win of any kind. Under Marcelino, they have struggled to win games this season with five draws in seven matches.