Valencia put pressure on Barca, Atletico win

Valenciaswept aside Leganes 3-0 yesterday as they continued their stunning formwith an eighth straight win to close to within a point of La Ligaleaders Barcelona.Marcelino Garcia Toral’s side also moved ahead ofBarca as the league’s top scorers with 30 goals in their first 11 gamesas Dani Parejo, Rodrigo and Santi Mina found the net.“No one will go undefeated through 38 games, but we are going to enjoy the moment,” said Marcelino.“In the dressing room there is no euphoria, there is realism and constant analysis.“We know how difficult it will be to keep this up, it’s practically impossible.”After travelling to Espanyol following the international break, Valencia host Barca at Mestalla on November 26.Parejohas been one of many players rejuvenated by Marcelino’s arrival atMestalla after two seasons in the doldrums for Valencia.The captain’s clever free-kick that skidded underneath the Leganes wall got Valencia off to a perfect start on 14 minutes.Onloan Paris Saint-Germain winger Goncalo Guedes has been Valencia’s starperformer in recent weeks and the Portuguese was inches away from hisfourth goal of the season when he struck the post early in the secondperiod.The hosts had to wait until 19 minutes from time to seal thepoints with a blistering counter-attack that ended with Spanishinternational Rodrigo heading home Manchester United loanee AndreasPereira’s cross.And the team-spirit in this Valencia side wasdemonstrated when habitual penalty-taker Parejo let Mina takeresponsibility from the spot eight minutes from time to round off thescoring.“It was a phenomenal (gesture). They worked it out themselves and I prefer it like that,” added Marcelino.“It goes to show the atmosphere there is within the group, which is the foundation for us to perform like this.” Bycontrast, Atletico Madrid’s struggle for goals continues but DiegoSimeone’s men were bailed out by Thomas Partey’s 91st-minute winner in a1-0 victory at Deportivo la Coruna. A 1-1 draw at home toAzerbaijani champions Qarabag all but ended Atletico’s Champions Leaguecampaign in midweek amidst a run of one win in eight games.