The win in Valencia saw a Messi hat trick and marked the best ever debut to a league season by a Barça manager. Below are a few more stats that came out of the game:
· Víctor Valdés, Gerard Piqué and Javier Mascherano are the only three Barça players to have played for every minute of every official game the team have played so far this year (450 minutes).
· Leo Messi’s hat trick means he’s now scored five so far this season, whilst Cesc Fàbregas has now made four assists.
· The goals at Mestalla mean that Messi has now scored three or more in a league game on 17 occasions, a record shared with Cristiano Ronaldo and only bettered by Zarra (22), Di Stéfano (22) and Mundo (19).
· Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino has made the best ever start to a league season by a debuting Barça manager, with three wins from three, 11 goals scored and just two conceded.
· Three other managers began their tenure at the Club with three wins: Rexach, with nine goals scored and none conceded, César, with 11 scored and three conceded and Venables, with eight scored and none conceded.
· For the first time in League history, four teams have won their first three games and sit on nine points - FC Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Villarreal and Real Madrid. Barça lead the table on goal difference.
· Barça dominated possession with 62% and had 20 shots on goal – nine of which were on target.
· In all, Barça committed 11 fouls and picked up three yellow cards (for Jordi Alba, Dani Alves and Neymar). Valencia committed 20 and had two players booked (Joao Pereira and Éver Banega).
