Kondogbia dominates in midfield against Barça

Valencia CF's win over FC Barcelona saw players shine all over the pitch, with Geoffrey Kondogbia one of those keeping the normally dominant FC Barcelona midfield quiet. He was starting his first game since November and kept his focus for the entire 90 minutes, not losing the ball on any occasion, intercepting more passes than any other player (5) and leading his team in successful runs. His delivery was also excellent, with him producing the most long balls in the match (4).

His performance was also more important than numbers. In light of the absence of Dani Parejo through suspension, Kondogbia and Francis Coquelin faced a challenge in the midfield: Valencia CF had not won a game without their captain since December 2014. The pair worked tirelessly to suffocate the likes of Arthur, De Jong and Busquets, and nulify the contributions of Leo Messi.

"It had been a long time since I played 90 minutes. The most important thing was the win, against very good opponents. When you're up against Barça, if you don't play with intensity then they can score three against you," said Kondogbia after the game.

"We respected the coach's plan. We played aggressively so that the opposition weren't comfortable."