Arturo Vidal: Messi's best partner despite the defeat

Arturo Vidal came on to revolutionise the game at Mestalla as a substitute and even though Barcelona lost he was important in making the team improve. Vidal had started Quique Setien's first game, against Granada.

His good performance there meant many thought he would start against Valencia but Setien brought back De Jong and Arthur, looking to monopolise ball possession. Vidal came on as player No 12 and made thing happen as the team suffered.

Setien needed to change things. Vidal's first move was to get into the area, driving the team forward.

His arrival coincided with the team's best minutes. He moved between the lines and pushed on, working well with Leo Messi, who until that point didn't have an adequate link-up team-mate.

The Chilean was a Berocca tablet, bringing effervescence to a team that needed it. However, unlike in other games, what he brought did not change the scoreboard. He was decisive at Inter, when he set up Luis Suarez, and scored at Leganes and Espanyol to save the team.

Messi was the most grateful player for Vidal's arrival. The Argentine had barely appeared until the Chilean's entry, then burst into life. In just 35 minutes Vidal became the second most receiver of passes from Messi, on eight, only one less than De Jong. That connection allowed the No 10 to get into his best positions. Messi hit 11 shots, four of them on target.