Classy Barca down Valencia in title duel

Champions Barcelona produced a second half masterclass coming from behind to defeat title rivals Valencia 2-1 at Camp Nou on Saturday to move joint top of the Spanish first division alongside their defeated visitors.

Barca fell behind to a Pablo Hernandez goal on 37 minutes but turned the game around with a mesmerising second half as goals from Spanish World Cup winners Andres Iniesta and Carles Puyol inflicted a first league defeat of the season on Valencia.

David Villa could have had a hat-trick against his old club but found 39-year-old goalkeeper Cesar Sanchez in great form.

It was a welcome home win for Barcelona who had dropped five points in their first three home games and the double champions move level on 16 points with Valencia at the summit.

Real Madrid are two points behind the duo and can go top with victory at Malaga later on Saturday.

“We had two clear chances in the first half but they levelled early in the second and that was a real handicap for us,” said Valencia coach Unai Emery. “Barca pushed us back after that even though we had the desire to attack and try and win the game.”

Barca coach Pep Guardiola sprung a surprise with midfield star Xavi back in the starting line-up after tendinitis ruled him out of Spain’s two Euro 2012 qualifying matches.

Villa shrugged off a knock to face old club Valencia for the first time since he left the club for Barcelona in a 40-million-euro summer move.

Valencia coach Emery surprisingly left winger Juan Mata on the substitutes in a conservative line-up but the visitors attacked from the first whistle.

Barcelona were sluggish but picked up the pace and on 20 minutes Villa had his first sight on goal but fluffed his lines.

Dani Alves prodded a pass to Villa but the striker opted to square the ball rather than shoot and it back-fired as his lay-off to Puyol was cut out and the forward rued his decision not to shoot on goal.

Valencia made him pay for the mistake scoring on 37 minutes with Jeremy Mathieu getting in behind the Barca backline before laying off to Hernandez who watched on as his half-blocked shot crept in.

Three minutes later Hernandez should have scored again, however, with the goal at his mercy the winger hit his shot straight at Victor Valdes.

Barca almost equalised on the stroke of half-time through Lionel Messi with a sensational block from Bruno Grau saving the day.

The hosts were level though two minutes after the break with Iniesta surging forward before feeding Xavi who returned the ball to his team-mate who finished brilliantly.

Barca were a different side thereafter and Villa had a header acrobatically saved by Sanchez on the hour mark.

But two minutes later Puyol met Xavi’s cross with a bullet header to put Barca ahead.

It was one-way traffic in the second half with Villa twice denied by former team-mate Cesar while Messi had a chested goal ruled out for offside.

Valencia hope to bounce back from this defeat with a Champions League group match at Scottish side Rangers on Wednesday while Barcelona host FC Copenhagen in their group game on the same day.

On Monday second-placed Villarreal, a point behind Valencia and Barcelona, travel to Hercules looking to continue their impressive start.

Earlier Atletico Madrid moved to within three points of the leading duo with a 2-0 win over derby rivals Getafe at the Vicente Calderon on Saturday.

An unfortunate own goal from goalkeeper Jordi Codina on 37 minutes and a Diego Costa strike on 72 minutes helped Atletico move fifth.