Copa del Rey: Barcelona 7- 0 Valencia

Gary Neville's Valencia suffered a humiliating defeat as they were crushed by Barcelona in the Copa del Rey semi-final first leg at the Nou Camp.

Luis Suarez scored four goals, while Lionel Messi also helped himself to a hat-trick and Neymar missed a penalty.

Valencia's cause was not helped when defender Shkodran Mustafi was sent off for fouling Messi in the first half.

Neville is also without a league win in eight attempts since taking over the club in December.

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Barcelona vs Valencia 7-0 Espanyol of Spain Cup 3/2/2016 HD

From triumph to humiliation

Former England and Manchester United full-back Neville was returning to the scene of one of his greatest triumphs.

As a 24-year-old he was part of the United team who won the Champions League with a spectacular late comeback against Bayern Munich in the 1999 final at the Nou Camp.

This time there was to be no miraculous turnaround.

These are testing times for the 40-year-old who was already under pressure before the game against the European champions.

Neville has yet to win in eight league games - five draws and three defeats - while the Copa del Rey had hitherto offered the eight-time Premier League winner some solace.

All four of his wins from 14 games in charge in Spain have come in this competition - yet this was nothing short of embarrassing.

How Neville's embarrassment unfolded

Valencia were shocking from start to finish and there was only going to be one outcome once Barca went 2-0 up in 12 minutes.

Suarez broke the deadlock after racing on to Neymar's pass before the former Liverpool player doubled the lead, curling home from 10 yards after a breathless move.

Messi completed a delightful move to make it 3-0 before a frantic end to the half.

The Argentina star was denied by the bar and Neymar hit the post from the penalty spot - after being fouled by Mustafi, who was sent off.

It went from bad to worse in the second half, Suarez's back-heel allowing Messi to pick his spot inside the area and take his career tally to 500 goals.

Terrible defending by Valencia allowed Messi to complete his hat-trick and make it 5-0 after winning the ball back before firing past the keeper, who should have saved.

Suarez's hat-trick goal was a close-range header and there was still time for the Uruguay international to get his fourth - and Barca's seventh - as he found the net via the near post.

The return leg takes place at the Mestalla next Wednesday.

The stats you need to know

• Barcelona's ninth win in a row took the team's unbeaten streak in all competitions to 27 games.
• Barca have not lost since a 2-1 defeat at Sevilla in October in La Liga.
• They have scored 100 goals this season - 75 of them from the attacking trio of Luis Suarez (33), Lionel Messi (21) and Neymar (21).
• Valencia are without a win in 11 La Liga games.
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What next?

It is perhaps just as well Valencia are not at home on Sunday - Neville's team travel to face Real Betis in La Liga on Sunday. Barcelona are away at bottom club Levante on the same day.