Hello and welcome to Sports Mole's live coverage of the La Liga fixture between Valencia and Barcelona. Neither side have hit top form this season, but both clubs will be looking to build on impressive results in England in midweek.

This match comes just over 24 hours after Real Madrid dropped more points in La Liga. Julen Lopetegui's side were disappointing throughout their game at Alaves and were ultimately made to pay in the closing seconds. Click here to read our match report from that fixture.

As far as the league table is concerned, Barcelona have dropped down to second as a result of Atletico Madrid beating Real Betis earlier today. They will sit third if Sevilla see out their match with Celta Vigo - which has 28 minutes left - but whatever happens, Barcelona will return to top spot with victory this evening.

Without further ado, let's take a look at the two starting lineups, beginning with the visitors...

BARCELONA XI: Ter Stegen; Semedo, Pique, Vermaelen, Alba; Rakitic, Busquets, Arthur; Coutinho, Messi, L.Suarez

VALENCIA XI: Neto; Piccini, Garay, Paulista, Gaya; Soler, Parejo, Kondogbia, Guedes; Gameiro, Batshuayi

Let's start by taking a look at the Barcelona XI as Ernesto Valverde opts to make just the one change to the team which played Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday evening. Thomas Vermaelen has been picked at the expense of Clement Lenglet, and will partner Gerard Pique in the centre of defence.

Luis Suarez had been an injury doubt after complaining of a knee problem a few days ago and the forward is likely to sit out the next set of international fixtures, but Valverde decides to keep one of his main men in the team.

Arturo Vidal had been an option to feature in central midfield but Valverde has kept Arthur in the team. Vidal has made just two starts in La Liga since moving to Camp Nou from Bayern Munich.

Ousmane Dembele has started each of Barcelona's seven league fixtures this season, but the winger finds himself among the replacements this evening. The Frenchman had started each of Barcelona's games in all competitions until the contest with Spurs.

As for Valencia, Marcelino has decided to make two changes to the team which began the encounter with Manchester United. One of them comes in midfield with Carlos Soler taking the place of Francis Coquelin.

The other switch is in attack as Rodrigo drops down to the bench having been replaced by Kevin Gameiro. It is a bold move but the Spain international has not scored in his last four outings.

On-loan Chelsea striker Michy Batshuayi has kept his place with the Belgian making just his third league start. He did well against United in midweek so deserves his chance against the reigning champions.

LATEST! Sevilla are now two goals to the good against Celta Vigo, who have been reduced to 10 men. Sevilla are heading to the top of the standings, which puts a bit more pressure on Barca.

Barcelona have been far from perfect this season but they still sat at the top of the tree in La Liga before the start of the weekend. Valverde would have hoped for more than 14 points from seven games but if the Catalan giants can remain ahead of Real Madrid before the first El Clasico at the end of the month, the Barca boss will be relatively content.

Valverde will also be satisfied with the way that Barca saw off Spurs in the Champions League on Wednesday night. While Lionel Messi stole the show, other players still made game-changing contributions, such as Ivan Rakitic and Arthur in the middle of the park.

Arthur has only played 85 minutes of La Liga football this season but Valverde spoke highly of the summer signing after his showing at Wembley Stadium. Click here to read his thoughts.

The win over Spurs was Barcelona's first success in four attempts in all competitions. It was also the fourth game in succession where the club have failed to keep a clean sheet.

RESULT! Celta Vigo halved the deficit in the closing stages but Sevilla have held on to register a 2-1 win, a result which sees them go two points clear of both Barcelona and Real Madrid and one of Atletico Madrid.

Valencia may sit well down the league table but they are yet to suffer defeat at home this season. Draws have been recorded against Atletico Madrid, Real Betis and Celta Vigo - clubs who were all placed in the top half of the table before the start of the weekend.

Valencia have also had to play Espanyol and Villarreal so all in all, it has been an extremely testing start to the campaign. They deserve some credit for only losing once in seven matches, and a win today would take them to within touching distance of Barca.

Marcelino will take encouragement from the stalemate with Manchester United in midweek. The Premier League side are not exactly firing on all cylinders, but avoiding defeat at Old Trafford is always regarded as a solid result. With two games to come against Young Boys, it gives the club something to work with in the Champions League.

What hasn't gone unnoticed is Marcelino making full use of his squad this season. He has already opted to give minutes to as many as 22 players in seven league games, with each player being handed at least one start.

It is yet to benefit Valencia in the final third, however. No-one has contributed more than one goal or assist!

PREDICTION! This will be a stern test for a Barcelona side struggling for form in La Liga, but Valencia have also been patchy this season and Wednesday's Champions League win should restore some of the visitors' confidence. Barcelona to prevail by a 2-1 scoreline.

HEAD TO HEAD! Barcelona have won all three meetings between these two sides so far in 2018 and are unbeaten in their last six across all competitions, winning five of those.

Valencia's past two wins over Barca have both come at the Camp Nou, and they have not won a home game against La Blaugrana in La Liga since February 2007.

Barcelona are unbeaten in 11 such matches since, but have only won five of those and drew on their last league visit in November. This really has all the makings of a tight match.

It's time for the two teams to start making their way out at the Mestalla. As you can imagine, the stadium is rocking!

A reminder of the two starting lineups...

VALENCIA XI: Neto; Piccini, Garay, Paulista, Gaya; Soler, Parejo, Kondogbia, Guedes; Gameiro, Batshuayi

BARCELONA XI: Ter Stegen; Semedo, Pique, Vermaelen, Alba; Rakitic, Busquets, Arthur; Coutinho, Messi, L.Suarez

KICKOFF:  Valencia get us underway!

GOAL!  Valencia 1-0 Barcelona (Ezequiel Garay)

WOW! Valencia win a corner within the first 60 seconds and they only go and score from it. An inswinging delivery is not dealt with by Pique and after the defender glances the ball through to the back post, Garay has a tap in.

I said earlier that the Mestalla was rocking. The decibel level has already gone up about 10 notches! Barcelona are on the front foot but that goal has stunned them.

CHANCE!  Batshuayi almost makes it two! It all starts from a surging run from Guedes and after Gameiro holds the ball up, he tees up Batshuayi to have a low shot tipped wide of the far post.

SHOT!  Kondogbia has now drilled a long-range effort marginally wide of the far post! Barcelona are all over the place.

Now Gameiro gets in behind Semedo before the right-back gets back to make a vital challenge. Valencia are a threat every time they go forward.

Guedes has been struggling with a knock to his knee over the past few minutes and it looks like he is going to have to be substituted. He was on the receiving end of a strong challenge from Coutinho. The Portuguese could find himself sidelined for a few weeks.

SUBSTITUTION! Cheryshev is on in the winger's place.

Barcelona are slowly getting into this game but they are yet to register a shot on goal. Messi has been quiet, although you can never rule the Argentine out of any game.

Valencia have barely got out of their own half since Guedes's exit. They need to be careful not to lose that early intensity because Barcelona couldn't handle it.

Better from the hosts as they start working the ball from side to side in an attempt to move the Barcelona midfield out of position. Nothing comes from it, but it is a show of intent.

Pique is trying to help Semedo on the right flank as much as he can. Most of Valencia's threat has come down the left and it looks like Barca have cottoned onto it.

SHOT!  Messi finally gets involved and tries his luck from about 20 yards, but his low strike is comfortably saved by Neto.

GOAL!  Valencia 1-1 Barcelona (Lionel Messi)

Told you that you can't keep him quiet. Messi plays a one-two with Suarez on the edge of the penalty area before drilling a low shot into the bottom corner from 20 yards. Neto had no chance.

It is all Barca now. Valencia are struggling to cope with the relentlessness of the attacks coming their way. Batshuayi is becoming increasingly isolated.

Valencia will probably do well to keep Barca out until half time. They seem to have accepted that the visitors are going to dominate possession, but they are sitting far too deep.

Not a lot more to report but Valencia have seen a bit more of the ball in non-threatening areas. Barcelona are happy to have a breather.

Semedo is becoming more of a threat in attacking areas and on this occasion, he twists and turns down the right before winning a corner.

Barcelona play the resulting set piece short and although the ball eventually enters the penalty area, Neto is there to claim.

Valencia work a situation where Cheryshev has plenty of space to run into down the left, but he lacks the same pace as Guedes and Semedo comfortably deals with the threat.

Barcelona are back on the front foot but the centre-backs and two central midfielders are doing a good job at keeping Barca's attacking contingent at arm's length. For now, at least.

The visitors are passing the ball from side to side but Valencia are not budging. This is a disciplined effort.

SHOT!  Valencia break forward and after Cheryshev has a goalbound shot blocked, the ball runs free for Gaya who lashes a low effort just wide of the far post.

YELLOW CARD!  Suarez is booked after a lengthy chat with the referee. I have no idea what it was about!

YELLOW CARD!  Soler follows him into the book for a late challenge on Alba. There wasn't much in that.

There will be two minutes of added-on time. This first half is petering out now.

HALF TIME:  Valencia 1-1 Barcelona

The half-time whistle goes at the Mestalla and Valencia and Barcelona remain on level terms. Valencia stunned the champions by netting in the opening two minutes but since Guedes went off injured after 12 minutes, Barcelona have had the better of this game and deserved their equaliser.

Garay's effort came as a result of Pique's poor attempt at dealing with a corner. The ball should have been headed clear but Pique only glanced it into the direction of the Valencia man, who was nearly standing on the goalline.

There was a directness about Barcelona's equaliser, too, but with added quality. Messi and Suarez played a one-two before the Argentine found the bottom corner from 20 yards out.

The two teams are making their way back out at the Mestalla. It doesn't look like either manager has made any changes.

KICKOFF:  Barcelona get us back underway.

SHOT!  Valencia have started well and a chance goes the way of Cheryshev who tries to find the top corner with the outside of his left boot. It's some effort, but it goes just over the crossbar.

Back come Barca and Garay has to stick out a leg to prevent a cross from Alba finding Suarez in the middle of the penalty area. Nothing comes from the resulting set piece.

The visitors have upped the tempo over the past couple of minutes. The front three are beginning to press the Valencia backline in order to win back the ball. Valverde couldn't have been happy at half time.

Valencia are keeping every player behind the ball for now. It's a sign that they are expecting Barcelona to be relentless in their search for a second goal.

SHOT!  Barcelona put together a delightful move on the edge of the area and it ends with Messi getting a shot away from an acute angle, but Neto deals with it well at his near post.

SHOT!  Parejo attempts a speculative volley from distance, but it is always going wide of the far post.

YELLOW CARD!  Both Parejo and Coutinho go into the book. Parejo cynically pulled the shirt of Coutinho, but the Brazilian reacted by pushing the Valencia player.

We move through the hour mark and this is still anyone's game. Valencia are matching Barca in most departments but they are lacking a bit of magic in the final third.

It won't be long before we see a first Barcelona change. You'd imagine that Dembele for Arthur is the most likely alteration.

Suarez is penalised for a foul inside the penalty area but it looked like the Uruguayan had been pulled back before that incident. He can count himself a bit unfortunate.

Batshuayi holds the ball up well before finding a teammate. The ball is sprayed out to the left, but the cross is easily headed clear. Still, more sign of Valencia trying to regain their earlier lead.

SUBSTITUTION! Valencia make a second change with Rodrigo replacing Gameiro.

This has developed into an end-to-end game, even though Valencia would probably take a sixth draw of the campaign. The home side again go onto the attack but another low cross is well dealt with by the Barcelona defence.

Valencia commit a couple of fouls in their own half and although the referee plays the advantage with the first, he blows for the second. The free kick is around 30 yards from goal.

SHOT!  Messi attempts to find the top corner with a driven effort, but the shot is always heading over the crossbar.

Suarez tries to weave his way through the Valencia defence but he is stopped in his tracks after getting past two players.

Barcelona should be ahead. Coutinho is found 12 yards from goal but the Brazilian takes too much time on the ball and is tackled by Garay.

The visitors continue to push for a second, but they are being met by a Valencia brick wall. It is going to take something special to get past Garay and Paulista.

SUBSTITUTION! Valencia's third alteration sees Coquelin replace Kondogbia.

SHOT!  Messi cuts inside and gets a shot away from an acute angle, but the Argentine drags his effort wide of the near post. Just the nine minutes to go now.

Valencia win a corner on the left after Pique clears, and the centre-back then does well to get the ball away. If only he had done that in the second minute.

SUBSTITUTION! Barcelona finally make a change with Dembele replacing Coutinho.

Valencia are playing with two banks of four within 25 yards of their own goal. It is frustrating Barca, and Messi sends a very tame effort through to Neto.

SUBSTITUTION! A second switch sees Rafinha come on for Arthur.

Dembele is given the chance to cross the ball into the box from the left, but his delivery goes straight into the grateful hands of Neto.

There will be two minutes of added-on time.

The full-time whistle goes at the Mestalla and Barcelona are held to a 1-1 draw by a resolute Valencia side. Garay and Messi netted during the first half, but neither side did enough to deserve all three points. It means that Sevilla top La Liga heading into the international break!

That will be all from Sports Mole for this match. Thank you for joining us this evening and we hope to see you again soon.

If you would like to read our on-the-whistle match report, you can do so by clicking here. Goodbye for now.