Messi returned to score three times, and he was bested by Luis Suarez who put four goals in the net.
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Shkodran Mustafi was dismissed for the visitors for an intentional handball in the first period but Los Che were already three down at that stage.
Valencia are yet to win a league game under Neville but the England coach was quick to take the positives from Sunday’s defeat.
It’s all a far cry from the 1999 Champions League final when Neville and Man Utd produced a dramatic comeback to beat Bayern 2-1 on the very same pitch…
“Valencia fans didn’t deserve a result like this one”, Neville said.
Ryan and his outclassed teammates were on the wrong end of a shock 7-0 thrashing in the first leg of their semi-finals at Camp Nou. It’s a game we shouldn’t lose, you all know that.
New Valencia signings Guilherme Siqueira and Denis Cheryshev have been included in the 21-man squad travelling to Catalonia and could make their debuts for the club.
Barcelona v Valencia kicks-off at 07.00am AEDT on Thursday morning (9.00pm local time) and will be streamed live online.
Neville, who admitted the loss would take some bouncing back from, said calls for his resignation were premature after only two months in the job. Valencia is in the semi-finals with doubts.
“I think it’s one of our most complete performances in terms of attitude and intensity with the ball, right from the first whistle”, he said as quoted by AS.
Neville and his beleaguered side now face the troubling prospect of a second leg next Wednesday against a Barca side that are seeking to extend their 27-game unbeaten streak in all competitions.
Describing his experience at the Nou Camp as “painful”, Neville insisted he was not ready to call time on his novice managerial career in Spain. Garcia Pitarch revealed afterwards that they he had spoken to her following the game and pushed by TV channel Canal Plus to confirm Neville’s continuity at the club, he was evasive.
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Elsewhere, Sevilla maintained their chase of Villarreal for the fourth Champions League place with their 11th consecutive win at home in all competitions, 3-1 over bottom side Levante.
