Feb 8, 2018 at 8.30pm UK at ​Mestalla
Attendance: 43,355
Valencia
0-2
Barcelona

Rodrigo (34'), Zaza (75'), Parejo (90')
FT(HT: 0-0)
Coutinho (49'), Rakitic (82')

Philippe Coutinho hails "special" maiden goal for Barcelona

Coutinho hails
© Offside
Philippe Coutinho thanks Luis Suarez for setting up his first goal as a Barcelona player in the 2-0 win at Valencia in the Copa del Rey.

Barcelona playmaker Philippe Coutinho has described scoring his first goal for the club in Thursday's Copa del Rey victory over Valencia as "a special moment".

The 25-year-old, who joined the Catalan giants from Liverpool in a £142m deal last month, got off the mark on his fifth outing for the club.

Half-time sub Coutinho slid in to convert a Luis Suarez cross soon after the restart in the semi-final second-leg tie at the Mestalla, as Barcelona made it through with a 3-0 aggregate win.

Speaking to Gol TV at full time, the Brazilian said: "I feel happy to have scored my first goal for Barca and have helped the team get to the final. It's a special moment.

"My first goal for Liverpool was also set up by [Suarez]. I hope I can help him and Leo (Lionel Messi) to score goals, too. They have been great since I got here and they've helped me fit in from the start.

"I feel really happy because I have been looking for that first goal since I got here - and finally I've got it," Coutinho told after the game. More importantly, though, it was able to help the team reach the final. For me, it will be my first final [with Barca] and it's an important moment.

"It's a special thing to reach a final and I am sure it will be a great game, but also a difficult one, like all finals are. But we have time to prepare for it. Before then we have a lot of games, so that's where our focus is now."

Former Liverpool striker Suarez set up both of his side's goals on Thursday night.

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Ernesto Valverde pictured in 2016
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Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Barcelona23185060114959
2Atletico MadridAtletico2315713492552
3Valencia23134645271843
4Real Madrid22126450232742
5Villarreal2311483428637
6Sevilla2311392934-536
7EibarEibar2310583234-235
8Celta Vigo239594134732
9GironaGirona238783130131
10Real Betis2394103745-831
11Getafe237972621530
12Leganes228592022-229
13Athletic Bilbao2361072425-128
14Real Sociedad2375114345-226
15Espanyol236892131-1026
16AlavesAlaves2381142133-1225
17Levante2331192135-1420
18Deportivo La CorunaDeportivo2346132451-2718
19Las PalmasLas Palmas2353151750-3318
20Malaga2334161436-2213
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