Barcelona equal extraordinary La Liga record in victory over Valencia

Luis Enrique's side cut Real Madrid's lead at the top of La Liga to two points

Barcelona are yet to concede a penalty or have a player sent off in La Liga this season (Getty)

Barcelona’s victory over Valencia at the Camp Nou on Sunday may have been an eventful affair, but it was what Luis Enrique’s side did not do that led to them matching a long-standing La Liga record.

With 28 league games played so far this season, Barça are yet to concede a penalty or have one of their players sent off.

No other Spanish team has achieved such a feat since the 1970/71 season, when both Barça and rivals Real Madrid found themselves in the higher reaches of the fair play rankings.

Valencia, on the other hand, went down to defeat on Sunday following Eliaquim Mangala’s sending-off on the stroke of half-time.

The centre-back, currently on loan from Manchester City, was shown red after his pull on Luis Suarez in the penalty area. Lionel Messi despatched the resulting spot-kick.

The last La Liga penalty Barcelona conceded came over a year ago, on Valentine’s Day 2016 in a 6-1 victory over Celta Vigo, with John Guidetti scoring from the spot.

The game is best remembered for a penalty awarded to Barcelona, which saw Lionel Messi elect to tee up Luis Suarez rather than score the kick himself.

Javier Mascherano was the last Barcelona player to be sent off in a La Liga game. The former Liverpool midfielder was given his marching orders in a 3-1 win over Eibar in October 2015.