Real Valladolid sit bottom and are already relegated That win for Barcelona lifts them seven points clear of second-placed Real Madrid If Real lose to Celta Vigo tomorrow then that could make next week's El Clasico very interesting with Barca having the chance to wrap up the La Liga title They've got a Champions League semi-final to play before that If you missed any of tonight's action you can read all about it by clicking the 'report' tab at the top of this page 151Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharing'It's going to be spectacular'published at 22:04 British Summer Time 3 May22:04 BST 3 MayFT: Real Valladolid 1-2 Barcelona speaking to DAZN after returning after more than seven months out injured: "I really wanted to play tonight and it is always better when you win We are keeping on a good run which is important Some big games coming up and its' going to be spectacular for us we hope "When you're 1-0 down it's always difficult in grounds like this Valladolid had nothing to lose so they were going to play hard On Hansi Flick rotating the squad: "He has found a good balance because he gives all of us the importance to be a part of the team Some play more some play less but we are all a team 172Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 22:00 British Summer Time 3 May22:00 BST 3 MayReal Valladolid 1-2 Barcelona but they get the job done and take all three points A valiant effort from already-relegated Real Valladolid but Barca's depth from the bench really helped them out there and it's Fermin Lopez's goal which proves the difference 223Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingFULL-TIMEpublished at 21:57 British Summer Time 3 May21:57 BST 3 MayReal Valladolid 1-2 Barcelona They go seven points clear at the top of La Liga 1066Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 21:56 British Summer Time 3 May21:56 BST 3 MayReal Valladolid 1-2 Barcelona 718Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 21:56 British Summer Time 3 May21:56 BST 3 MayReal Valladolid 1-2 Barcelona That would have been game over if Lamine Yamal had slotted home there but he cuts onto his left foot and Valladolid's defence recovers in time to block the teenager's strike Barcelona have another free-kick on the edge of the box 282Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 21:54 British Summer Time 3 May21:54 BST 3 MayReal Valladolid 1-2 Barcelona Raul Moro escapes behind the Barcelona backline and Marc-Andre ter Stegen has to race off his line to smother the ball and stop the attack 327Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 21:54 British Summer Time 3 May21:54 BST 3 MayReal Valladolid 1-2 Barcelona Ronald Araujo needed to be alert there to stop Mario Martin from having a clear shot at goal He protects Marc-Andre ter Stegen and wins the foul 180Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 21:52 British Summer Time 3 May21:52 BST 3 MayReal Valladolid 1-2 Barcelona 157Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingCLOSE!published at 21:52 British Summer Time 3 May21:52 BST 3 MayReal Valladolid 1-2 Barcelona Dani Olmo goes flying to the floor in the box but the referee says Mario Martin caught him outside of the penalty area Raphinha lets fly and the ball fizzes an inch or two over the crossbar 611Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 21:49 British Summer Time 3 May21:49 BST 3 MayReal Valladolid 1-2 Barcelona It looked like Raphinha was lining up to take that free-kick but it's Dani Olmo who has a go and forces Andre Ferreira into a diving save 216Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 21:48 British Summer Time 3 May21:48 BST 3 MayReal Valladolid 1-2 Barcelona It's a real joy to watch Lamine Yamal play football The 17-year-old makes it look so easy as he skips past a trio of Valladolid players 5610Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingSUBSTITUTIONpublished at 21:46 British Summer Time 3 May21:46 BST 3 MayReal Valladolid 1-2 Barcelona Mario Martin is on for Stanki Juric in midfield 52Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 21:45 British Summer Time 3 May21:45 BST 3 MayReal Valladolid 1-2 Barcelona who we thought was shown a yellow card earlier goes in the book for dragging down a Valladolid attacker It turns out it was Valladolid's Mamadou Sylla - not Araujo - who was shown a yellow in the first half 111Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 21:43 British Summer Time 3 May21:43 BST 3 MayReal Valladolid 1-2 Barcelona We're into the final 10 minutes of normal time I'm sure this scoreline is a little too tight for Barcelona's liking 132Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 21:41 British Summer Time 3 May21:41 BST 3 MayReal Valladolid 1-2 Barcelona Lamine Yamal can't believe he hasn't scored His strike has been cleared off the line brilliantly by Antonio Candela 249Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingSUBSTITUTIONpublished at 21:40 British Summer Time 3 May21:40 BST 3 MayReal Valladolid 1-2 Barcelona who has pulled up with a tight hamstring and is receiving medical attention 811Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 21:37 British Summer Time 3 May21:37 BST 3 MayReal Valladolid 1-2 Barcelona Real Valladolid might already be relegated but they're giving this a real good go with some rapid counter-attacks 1117Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 21:35 British Summer Time 3 May21:35 BST 3 MayReal Valladolid 1-2 Barcelona That's a HUGE save from Marc-Andre ter Stegen to deny Juanmi Latasa Lighting-fast reactions from the German keeper who is making his first appearances in seven months 295Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingSUBSTITUTIONpublished at 21:34 British Summer Time 3 May21:34 BST 3 MayReal Valladolid 1-2 Barcelona A double change from Valladolid boss Alvaro Rubio 75Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingprevious pagePage 1 of 4123…4next pageImage source Fermin Lopez has scored four goals in La Liga this season Barcelona came from behind to beat Real Valladolid and pull seven points clear of Real Madrid at the top of La Liga Substitute Raphinha and Fermin Lopez scored in the space of six second-half minutes after Ivan Sanchez had given Valladolid a surprise early lead at Estadio Jose Zorrilla Hansi Flick sent out a weakened side, making nine changes to the line-up that drew 3-3 with Inter Milan in the first-leg of their Champions League semi-final on Wednesday, with Tuesday's second-leg in Italy on his mind. Sanchez scored with a heavily-deflected shot from a tight angle, but that was as good as it got for the already-relegated Valladolid. Despite trailing, Barcelona were dominant throughout and the introduction of Lamine Yamal on 38 minutes, replacing injured debutant Dani Rodriguez, took them up another level. Raphinha's 16th La Liga goal of the season, a drilled shot from the edge of the area, sparked the comeback before Lopez swept home to put the league leaders in front. Right-back Hector Fort was denied by the base of the post as Barcelona pushed for a third, while Yamal saw an effort cleared off the line. Barcelona are unbeaten in 15 league outings, winning 13, and have won 17 of their past 19 against Valladolid. Real Madrid, who travel to Barcelona on 11 May, have the opportunity to close the gap at the top of the table to four points when they host Celta Vigo at 13:00 BST on Sunday. The BBC is not responsible for any changes that may be made substituted for Chuky at 72 minutesNumber 20 substituted for Mario Martín at 85 minutesNumber 10 Yellow Card at 7 minutesJuanmi Latasa 64' substituted for Juanmi Latasa at 64 minutesSubstituteshome team substituted for Juanmi Latasa at 64 minutesSubstitutesNumber 8 substituted for Eric García at 79 minutesNumber 8 substituted for Raphinha at 46 minutesNumber 16 substituted for Lamine Yamal at 38 minutesNumber 18 substituted for Dani Olmo at 62 minutesSubstitutesNumber 2 de Jong Match OfficialsReferee: Alejandro Muñiz RuizVideo Assistant Referee: Daniel Jesús Trujillo SuárezAssistant Referee 1: Diego Sánchez RojoAssistant Referee 2: Fabián Blanco RodríguezFourth Official: Carlos Fernández BuergoAssistant VAR Official: Valentín Pizarro GómezMatch StatsKey Copyright © 2025 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. With nine changes to the side that drew 3-3 with Inter on Wednesday Barça survived a scare at the ground of the bottom-ranked team in La Liga and are coming home from Valladolid with three crucial points that inch them a little bit closer to the domestic championship The home side scored early and it wasn’t until the second half that the blaugrana machine really started working with goals in quick succession from Raphinha and Fermin Lopez turning things around to put seven points between themselves and Real Madrid who host Celta tomorrow and come to the Estadi Olimpic next weekend There was a very different look to the Barça line-up, starting in goal with Marc ter Stegen making a welcome comeback after an absence of 223 days. And the German clearly hasn’t lost any of his brilliance in his time off the pitch, making a number of key contributions to today’s win. And with Tuesday’s UCL return leg in Milan in mind, coach Hansi Flick opted to start without several of his big names, including Raphinha, Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsí, with Dani Rodriguez of Barça Atlétic making his debut on the right of a threesome alongside Ansu Fati and Fermin Lopez, with Pau Victor as the out-and-out striker. Sadly for Rodriguez, his debut only lasted 34 minutes. He was forced to retire with a dislocated shoulder, with Lamine coming on in his stead. And Lamine was needed. Unexpectedly, Barça were trailing. Real Valladolid are already relegated, but they were keen to leave La Liga with a bang, and took the lead after just six minutes. It looked like more of a cross than a shot from Iván Sánchez, but it took a slight deflection off Ronald Araujo and looped over Ter Stegen’s head and into the net. A top save from Ter Stegen prevented the home side from extending their lead before Barça finally started to assert their presence, and for the rest of the first half André Ferreira was very much the busier of the two goalkeepers. Barça were lacking their usual shape and rhythm. Raphinha came on for the second time and within minutes had already made an impact, pouncing on a rebound and firing Barça right back into the game. This was the Barça we know and love. The spark that was lacking in the first half was back in full force, and six minutes later a lovely team move ended with Fermin Lopez, assisted by MVP Gerard Martin, unmarked in the middle of the area and able to drive Barça into the lead. Having got themselves out of a mess, Barça were on a roll and wanted more. Hector Fort hit the post, a Lamine effort was cleared off the line, Dani Olmo almost curled in a lovely free kick… The three points may have looked done and dusted, but the one-goal cushion wasn’t a comfortable one, and despite being heavily outplayed, Valladolid still felt they could get something out of the game and caused the Barça defence some moments of alarm on the counter attack. A crucial late tackle from Araujo and some solid work from Ter Stegen kept the late trouble away, and Barça, for an incredible eighth time this season, had come from behind to claim all three points. Barça have 79 points ahead of second-placed Real Madrid, who host Celta Vigo on Sunday Hansi Flick's side next visit Inter Milan in the second leg of their Champions League semifinal on Tuesday after a 3-3 draw in midweek The Germany international was making his return after a seven-month injury absence, though Flick later confirmed that Wojciech Szczesny would return in goal against Inter and in the week's Clásico with Real Madrid "I was really looking forward to playing this game and it's always better when you win," Ter Stegen told DAZN "Now we look forward to the next few weeks We have some big games coming up which are going to be nice for everyone Barcelona's attempts to respond to going a goal down before the break were thwarted by André Ferreira's fine goalkeeping, with the Portuguese denying Ansu Fati and Lopez as the visitors struggled for rhythm The match was briefly halted when 19-year-old debutant Dani Rodríguez required medical attention before being replaced by Lamine Yamal Barcelona also lost midfielder Gavi to injury in the second half though it looked to be a far less serious issue "I think Gavi is OK," Flick told reporters He showed what I see in training in the game We will take care about him and if he's back Flick's men found their groove after the interval, though, with substitute Raphinha curling a delightful half-volley into the bottom corner in the 54th minute after Ferreira parried Yamal's cross Lopez completed the turnaround on the hour mark, firing home from distance after a clinical pass from Gerard Martín They went in search of a third, with Hector Fort hitting the post after a quick counter-attack and Yamal's shot brilliantly cleared off the line by defender Antonio Candela with Ter Stegen denying substitute Juanmi Latasa while Moro went close in the dying minutes it's not easy for these guys who came in," Flick said I have the highest confidence in my players Information from Reuters and ESPN's Sam Marsden was used in this report Barcelona extended the gap atop LaLiga to seven points with a 2-1 comeback win at relegated Real Valladolid on Saturday thanks to second-half strikes by Raphinha and Fermin Lopez Barça have 79 points ahead of second-placed Real Madrid, who host Celta Vigo on Sunday The Germany international was making his return after a seven-month injury absence, though Flick later confirmed that Wojciech Szczesny would return in goal against Inter and in the week's Clásico with Real Madrid \"I was really looking forward to playing this game and it's always better when you win,\" Ter Stegen told DAZN \"Now we look forward to the next few weeks Barcelona's attempts to respond to going a goal down before the break were thwarted by André Ferreira's fine goalkeeping, with the Portuguese denying Ansu Fati and Lopez as the visitors struggled for rhythm The match was briefly halted when 19-year-old debutant Dani Rodríguez required medical attention before being replaced by Lamine Yamal \"I think Gavi is OK,\" Flick told reporters Flick's men found their groove after the interval, though, with substitute Raphinha curling a delightful half-volley into the bottom corner in the 54th minute after Ferreira parried Yamal's cross Lopez completed the turnaround on the hour mark, firing home from distance after a clinical pass from Gerard Martín They went in search of a third, with Hector Fort hitting the post after a quick counter-attack and Yamal's shot brilliantly cleared off the line by defender Antonio Candela it's not easy for these guys who came in,\" Flick said which means Hansi Flick will likely offer rest to some of his more taxed players Real Valladolid have nothing to lose going into the match and have a chance to add even more excitement to the La Liga title race climax The hosts are bound for La Liga2 next season but they'll want to end the season on a high and defeat Barcelona at home like they did the last time the Catalans visited in 2023 here's all you need to know ahead of Real Valladolid vs Atlético Madrid 4–2 Real Valladolid - 4/14/25 Real Sociedad 2–1 Real Valladolid - 3/29/25 Valladolid have had a nightmare of a season they're 14 points back of second to last on the table Leganés Real Betis made Valladolid's relegation official Álvaro Rubio's side are in the midst of a 14 game winless streak and have won just one game since the calendar turned to 2025 Three different managers have been at the helm since the start of 2024-25 but none have figured out a way to turn the season around Arsenal loanee goalkeeper Karl Hein remains sidelined with a shoulder injury and won't feature in Barcelona's visit Henrique Silva and Javi Sánchez are also sidelined with injuries Flick will most likely heavily rotate his side to rest key players ahead of the second leg of the Champions League semifinals vs Jules Koundé suffered a hamstring injury in the first leg vs Inter that will keep him sidelined for at least two weeks Robert Lewandowski and Alejandro Baldé are nearing a return from their respective injuries but it's unlikely Flick will risk them in the trip to Valladolid One major positive for Barcelona is that Flick confirmed that goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen will make his return between the sticks after suffering an ACL injury back in Sept The German will captain a Barcelona side that will still be expected to defeat Valladolid to keep up the pace in the La Liga title race Real Valladolid (4-2-3-1): Ter Stegen; Fort Although Barcelona won't be at full strength they still have more than enough quality to dispatch a Real Valladolid side that's collected just one point since the second half of the La Liga season started The Catalans will control possession and dictate the match With Fermín López having the freedom to create and an in-form Ferran Torres leading the attack Barça will find a way to carve open a defense that's conceded 81 goals in the league If things were to get tight and Barcelona aren't able to take a comfortable lead expect Flick to introduce some of his attacking gems in the second half ROBERTO CASILLASRoberto Casillas is a Sports Illustrated Soccer freelance writer covering Liga MX, the Mexican National Team & Latin American players in Europe. He is a die hard Cruz Azul and Chelsea fan. The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Sports Illustrated or its affiliates All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit If you or someone you know has a gambling problem crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER The visitors overcame a frustrating first half to secure three vital points in the battle for the Spanish crown A heavily rotated Barcelona team took to the pitch in Valladolid on Saturday sandwiched between the two legs of their Champions League semi-final against Inter The league leaders might have expected an easy ride against La Liga's bottom club But that may have taken the pressure off the hosts who went ahead inside just six minutes through Ivan Sanchez Barcelona were frustrated in the first half but things changed when Hansi Flick introduced Raphinha and Frenkie de Jong at break Raphinha's 31st goal of the season soon levelled things up when a stray punch from goalkeeper Andre Ferreira fell at the Brazilian's feet Fermin Lopez then put the Catalans 2-1 up an hour in taking up a position at the edge of the box for Gerard Martin's cutback had an effort cleared off the line towards the end But Marc-Andre ter Stegen also needed to be sharp on his long-awaited return to keep out a would-be Valladolid equaliser with a fine save The lead has at least temporarily grown to seven points on Real Madrid who host Celta Vigo in their weekend game on Sunday GOAL rates Barcelona's players from Estadio Jose Zorrilla.. Hansi Flick will most likely heavily rotate the team that drew 3–3 vs. Inter Milan in the first leg of the Champions League semifinals on Wednesday The trip to Milan for the second leg looms large and Flick won't want to risk losing more players to injury GK: Marc-André ter Stegen—The German will play his first minutes since tearing his ACL in the Sept RB: Héctor Fort—The La Masia graduate will start his fifth La Liga game this season CB: Ronald Araújo—Pau Cubarsí and Iñigo Martínez's strong form this season has relegated Araújo to third in the center back depth chart CB: Andreas Christensen—The former Chelsea man played his first minutes since Aug LB: Gerard Martín—Martín will patrol the left flank and offer Balde some more time to recover hoping to make his return to the lineup in the second leg vs CM: Eric García—García has featured plenty in the base of midfield this season and looks poised to get the start vs CM: Gavi—Gavi impressed in the Copa Del Rey final vs. Real Madrid a week ago and will partner García in the midfield pivot RW: Ferran Torres—Torres has 10 goals in La Liga despite starting just 11 games. The former Manchester City man will lead the attack looking to score for a third straight game AM: Fermín López—The 21-year-old will operate in the No hoping to add to his seven goal involvements in La Liga this season LW: Ansu Fati—Fati started and looked sharp last time out in La Liga vs The La Masia talent hasn't had many opportunities this season but against Valladolid he'll have a chance to prove why he was once such a highly regarded young player ST: Pau Víctor—Víctor will start his third game of the season in La Liga looking to add to his two goals this term Barcelona star Gavi was replaced late on against Real Valladolid prompting fears the midfielder had picked up an injury and will miss El Clasico next weekend The midfielder went down grimacing and looked to be experiencing some kind of hamstring discomfort in the final minutes of the 2-1 win Hansi Flick sent on Eric Garcia in his place but it seems that Gavi is OK after all Gerard Romero reports that he hasn’t picked up an injury and it was simply an “overload.” Flick also spoke about midfielder after the win: Gavi had successfully avoided a booking during the match which would have brought a one-match ban and seen him ruled out of next weekend’s Clasico Yet it does sound like he will be available to play in the game which could end up deciding the title Barcelona’s win over Real Valladolid means Flick’s side are now seven points clear of Madrid and can potentially win the title in El Clasico Our expert, award-winning staff selects the products we cover and rigorously researches and tests our top picks. If you buy through our links, we may get a commission. Reviews ethics statement Barcelona will look to keep their treble dream on track on Saturday as they travel west to face a Real Valladolid side that's already doomed to play in the Segunda División next season.  Below, we'll outline the best live TV streaming services to use to watch the game as it happens, wherever you are in the world, and how to use a VPN if the match isn't available there After an enthralling 3-3 Champions League draw at home against Inter Milan in midweek hailed by many pundits as the season's best game Barcelona and boss Hansi Flick will be eager to return to winning ways with a victory here set to once again give the visitors a significant seven-point lead over title rivals Real Madrid at the top of the standings After a 5-1 annihilation at the feet of Real Betis last time out the signs look ominous today for a Valladolid team that has little to salvage after their relegation fate was confirmed with Diego Cocca's men having accumulated just 16 points so far this term Real Valladolid take on Barcelona at the Estadio Municipal José Zorrilla on Saturday AEST kickoff in Australia on Sunday.  Barcelona wonder kid Lamine Yamal's dazzling display in his team's 3-3 midweek draw with Inter Milan was his 100th appearance for the Catalan club This match is available to stream in the US via ESPN Plus which has live English- and Spanish-language broadcast rights for La Liga in the US ESPN's standalone streaming service costs $12 a month or $120 for an annual subscription. Read our ESPN Plus review If you're traveling abroad and want to keep up with all the Spanish soccer action while away from home a VPN can help enhance your privacy and security when streaming.  It encrypts your traffic and prevents your internet service provider from throttling your speeds and can also be helpful when connecting to public Wi-Fi networks while traveling adding an extra layer of protection for your devices and logins and can be used for legitimate purposes such as improving online privacy and security.  some streaming services may have policies restricting VPN usage to access region-specific content If you're considering a VPN for streaming check the platform's terms of service to ensure compliance.  follow the provider's installation instructions ensuring you're connected securely and in compliance with applicable laws and service agreements Some streaming platforms may block access when a VPN is detected so verifying if your streaming subscription allows VPN usage is crucial.  ExpressVPN is our current best VPN pick for people who want a reliable and safe VPN but if you sign up for an annual subscription for $100 you'll get three months free and save 49% That's the equivalent of $6.67 a month Note that ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee Premier Sports is showing a minimum of five live matches per week from Spain's top league on its Premier Sports 1 and 2 channels This game will be shown exclusively live on Premier Sports 2 A subscription to just Premier Sports' dedicated La Liga channel costs £8 a month You can also get the channel via a full subscription to Premier Sports giving you access to all of the network's channels which have the UK broadcast rights to Scottish Premiership matches BKT United Rugby Championship and Investec Champions Cup rugby A full Premier Sports subscription costs £10 per month for Sky and Virgin TV customers You can also get Premier Sports through Amazon Prime Video as an add-on for £15 a month.  TSN is the rights holder for live coverage of La Liga matches in the region with select fixtures being shown on its linear channels and a wider selection of games being shown on its TSN Plus streaming platform This match is set to be shown on TSN Plus.  TSN Plus is a direct-streaming service that costs CA$8 a month and also offers coverage of PGA Tour Live golf Nascar and the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments Footy fans down under can watch La Liga matches live on BeIn Sports which holds the live broadcast rights in Australia for Spanish top-flight matches This match is set to be shown on BeIn Sports 2 BeIn Sports is available in Australia for AU$15 a month or a yearly commitment of AU$130.  Inter Milan superstar seen in Inzaghi’s training routine ahead of Barcelona clash Dumfries ahead of Inter Milan vs Barcelona registration ahead of Inter Milan vs Barcelona Leaked images of Barcelona’s home kit for 2025/26 Pavard Lewandowski ahead of Inter vs Barcelona Ferran start in a 4-2-3-1 – How Barcelona can line up against Inter Milan How Real Madrid attempted a football robbery — but were stopped by FC Barcelona Ferran start in a 4-2-3-1 – How Barcelona can line up against Real Madrid Olmo start in a 4-2-3-1 – How Barcelona can line up against Mallorca The two alternatives Hansi Flick can explore to replace injured Lewandowski Three talking points ahead of Inter Milan vs Barcelona | UEFA Champions League Three talking points from Real Valladolid 1-2 Barcelona | La Liga Raphinha 8.5 | Real Valladolid 1-2 Barcelona: Player ratings Three talking points ahead of Real Valladolid vs Barcelona | La Liga GW 34 Three talking points from Barcelona 3-3 Inter Milan Three key battles that could decide Barcelona vs Borussia Dortmund Mbappe arrived but Barcelona evolved: Flick’s tactical triumph over Real Madrid’s Galactico attack Robert Lewandowski – Barcelona’s ageless goal machine leading the title charge Beyond transfers: Deco’s blueprint for Barcelona’s long-term success Back at the top: Pedri reclaims his throne as the best midfielder in the world Marc Casado: Barcelona’s next great pivot Ranking all 15 La Masia talents that made their Barcelona debut under Xavi Barcelona talented La Masia graduate’s market value rises to €75 million Barcelona delighted with the progress of 15-year-old La Masia talent – report ‘La Masia is the essence of Barça’ – Barcelona academy gem reacts after La Liga debut Deco wants to build Barcelona’s future with La Masia and Barcelona get closer to the league title after the result they secured at Jose Zorilla on Saturday night The Catalans were overwhelming favourites against the struggling and relegated La Liga team and taking three points was seen as a mere formality the hosts did not make it easy for Barcelona They took the lead early via Ivan Sanchez in just the 6th minute after a terrible deflection, but Barcelona levelled the scoring in the second period via Raphinha before Fermin Lopez netted the winner Seven points currently stand between Barcelona and Real Madrid, who play their game later today. Should Los Blancos lose to Celta Vigo, the Catalans can be crowned champions by defeating Real Madrid next weekend Barça Universal brings you three talking points from Real Valladolid 1-2 Barcelona With a critical second-leg tie against Inter Milan up ahead the plan was always for Barcelona to rotate heavily against a struggling Real Valladolid Hansi Flick did not hold back with his changes as he kept Lamie Yamal Inigo Martinez and Wojciech Szczesny all on the bench The relatively second-string Barcelona team comprising Ansu Fati Pau Victor and others was considered good enough to get the better of the hosts and even register an advantage was to provide the forwards as much rest as possible while swapping out Pedri for Frenkie de Jong at half-time to ensure both players have 45 minutes to recover Real Valladolid’s early goal and subsequent tight defence Barcelona were struggling a goal down even at half-time was forced to call on several starters early in the second period with Yamal Raphinha and Olmo all playing vital roles in helping fight back for the three points the players did get some much-needed rest but not as much as the coach would have hoped The rotated Barcelona team left mixed impressions with some players impressive and others disappointing One player who left a serious positive mark last night The Danish international has been out of action from the beginning of the season through injury and thus away from Flick’s plans from the very start His first appearance came against Inter Milan earlier this week and last night Christensen did not look rusty in the slightest despite his prolonged absence from the field he did not scuff any of his distribution attempts and his defensive recoveries were sharp the Dane showed remarkable presence of mind in maintaining the offside trap playing the high line and was solely responsible for catching the hosts’ attack offside on multiple occasions It is safe to say that Flick will be impressed by Christensen’s presence of mind and that last night’s performance can be the start of serious ascendency for the veteran There have been rumours of a potential departure but such performances can go a long way in turning his situation around As promising as Christensen and the likes of Ronald Araujo several of the players Flick trusted with the start did not quite hit the mark expected of them Hector Fort’s performance did not win him any favours as he looked unstable defensively and lacklustre in the final third He did come close to scoring but atoint in the game did he look like a long-term full-back solution for the club Ansu Fati was the second player who did not do as well as expected One hoped the La Masia star would come up with a performance better than his last one but he lacked any inspiration going forward Ansu did indeed threaten on goal with a couple of strikes but he did not seem to have the right understanding to create spaces and get into open areas His finishing was too predictable and his lack of pace seriously hindered his attacking ability primarily because he did not even track back when Barcelona were not in possession something that is a non-negotiable in Flick’s system Pau Victor was another who barely added any value to Barcelona’s game scuffed two chances and left the field in the second half no more important in the manager’s plans than he was before Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Achievements • Privacy Policy • Cookie Policy • Licensed Images • Copyright © 2017 - 2024 Barca Universal - info@barcauniversal.com who have already been mathematically relegated aiming to preserve their four-point lead over Real Madrid and take another step toward the domestic title Hansi Flick's side is coming off a 3-3 draw against Inter Milan in the Champions League semifinals and will rotate several key players ahead of the return leg in Italy will look to end the season with dignity and provide a moment of joy for their fans many of whom have expressed frustration with the club’s management Interim coach Álvaro Rubio will aim to take advantage of Barcelona’s rotated lineup to grab points at home ShareSaveCommentBusinessSportsMoneyFC Barcelona Versus Real Valladolid Line Up: Flick’s Many RotationsByTom Sanderson Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights Tom Sanderson is a Barcelona-based writer who covers Spanish football.Follow AuthorMay 03 03:59am EDTShareSaveCommentFC Barcelona head coach will make various rotations when his side travels to Real Valladolid on .. More Saturday night for a vital La Liga fixture FC Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick will make various rotations when his side travels to Real Valladolid on Saturday night for a vital La Liga fixture Barca was clearly fatigued at the beginning of the meeting with the Italians and conceded two early goals Thanks to the genius of Lamine Yamal Flick’s men swiftly pulled one back and were equal by half time through Ferran Torres Denzel Dumfries again put the Nerazzurri ahead with less than half an hour to spare but Raphinha hit a screamer from the edge of the 18-yard box to make it 3-3 and set up a thrilling second leg at the San Siro on Tuesday Flick has to ring rotations to make sure as many of his starters as possible are fresh to try and help their club advance to the UCL final for the first time in a decade Perhaps the most interesting change right off the bat is Wojciech Szczesny being replaced by Marc-Andre ter Stegen who makes his first start since suffering what was expected to be a season-ending injury at Villarreal back in September With Alejandro Balde expected to return against Inter Gerard Martin keeps his place at left back Pau Cubarsi and Inigo Martinez hit the bench and they’re replaced by Andreas Christensen and Ronald Araujo in the heart of the back line so Eric Garcia can do an audition for possibly getting the right back nod in the UCL last four second leg Pedri gets a much-needed rest so that Gavi can team up with the number 8’s usual dance partner Frenkie de Jong Standing in for a Dani Olmo that has been unflattering in his last two outings Fermin Lopez is the CAM flanked by Ansu Fati and Ferran Torres because he’ll be the false number 9 on this occasion with a third consecutive chance to impress the manager it’s the most important thing because this title is the most honest You have to play the whole season at the highest level It doesn’t matter where Valladolid are next season Check out the match stats here 22:42 CET - It finished all square in Bologna too as the hosts came from behind to draw 1-1 against Juventus in a result which doesn't do any favours to either side's ambitions of European football 22:39 CET - A more entertaining second half saw Marseille and Lille score a goal each in a 1-1 draw Check out the match stats here 21:47 CET - Finally, it is goalless in Spain between Real Sociedad and Athletic Club with the visitors perhaps having one eye on a huge night on Thursday for the club First half statsStatsPerformFollow the second half here 21:43 CET - Whilst in Italy, Juventus hold a 1-0 lead in Bologna after a dominant first half display Check out the match stats here 21:40 CET - Elsewhere this evening, it is goalless at the break between Lille and Marseille after a cagey first half First half statsStatsPerform21:32 CET - How valuable a point might that prove to be for Mainz? The surprise package of this season's Bundesliga came from a goal down to draw 1-1 against Frankfurt and stay in the mix for European football 20:40 CET - Meanwhile, the final game of the weekend in LaLiga sees Real Sociedad host Athletic Club from 21:00 CET Starting lineupsFlashscoreFollow the action here 20:22 CET - Who else but Antony to come to Real Betis' rescue? The talk of the town in LaLiga strikes again to score a 91st-minute winner for Real Betis away to Espanyol It is a result which keeps them on the tail of fifth-placed Villarreal and therefore Champions League qualification LaLiga standingsFlashscore20:15 CET - Last up in Serie A tonight, 6th placed Juventus travel to 7th placed Bologna in another vitally important game in the race for Europe in Italy Starting lineupsFlashscore20:00 CET - Roma have held on to an impressive Serie A win at home to Fiorentina to continue their remarkable run of form and move into 4th place in Serie A If this is Claudio Ranieri's last hurrah then bringing the return of Champions League football to Roma is the dream goodbye 19:50 CET - Last up in Ligue 1 tonight is a huge game in the fascinating battle for Europe that is going on in France. Sixth-placed Lille host third-placed Marseille with just two points separating the sides Follow the match from 20:45 CET 19:30 CET - From one champion to another, Liverpool have had a less good day a week after becoming the champions of England Champions League hopefuls Chelsea have secured a vital win against them to increase their hopes of a fifth-placed finish Check out the match stats here 19:24 CET - BAYERN MUNICH ARE CHAMPIONS OF GERMANY The 2023/24 winners are fittingly the side who have made it official that Bayern are the new Bundesliga champions after their 2-2 draw at Freiburg Leverkusen produced an inspired late comeback, but it was only enough for a point as a title which fell out of their grasp a while ago fell safely into the arms of Harry Kane and co Kane's trophy cabinet is empty no more 19:11 CET - Lens have claimed a mighty impressive 2-1 win at Lyon inflicting a real blow on their opponents' hopes of securing European football 18:22 CET - Are Bayern Munich about to become Bundesliga champions? Their closest rivals might be about to do them a favour as Bayer Leverkusen trail Freiburg 1-0 at half-time Follow the second period here 18:18 CET - A really good half from Chelsea, who have punished a rotated Liverpool side by taking a 1-0 lead into the break after a fast counter attack was finished off by Enzo Fernandes 17:44 CET - Up next in Italy sees two sides with European ambitions go head-to-head as Roma host Fiorentina Starting lineupsFlashscore17:25 CET - Next up in the Bundesliga is possibly the game which confirms Bayern Munich as champions Bayer Leverkusen know anything but a win away to Freiburg, and Harry Kane will have the first trophy of his career Follow that game here from 17:30 CET 17:20 CET - Holstein Kiel might be going down, but they restored some pride today after an impressive 3-1 win away to Augsburg in the Bundesliga Match statsStatsPerform17:10 CET - Over in Serie A, Monza have been relegated after a challenging season as Atalanta thrashed them 4-0 17:00 CET - A dramatic afternoon in the Premier League! After two earlier penalty appeals, it was third time lucky for Newcastle United, who salvaged a point away to Brighton Match statsStatsPerformA thriller at the Community Stadium was won by Brentford 4-3 after a late Manchester United revival, and West Ham drew 1-1 with London rivals Tottenham Check out all the Premier League match stats here 16:33 CET - Team news is in for the final match of the weekend in the Premier League as top-five hopefuls Chelsea host the newly crowned champions Liverpool from 17:30 CET Listen to commentary of that game here The champions have heavily rotated and named a completely different midfield for the clash Starting lineupsFlashscore16:00 CET - Despite a late scare, a Kylian Mbappe brace is the difference as Real Madrid defeat Celta Vigo 3-2 to keep the pressure on LaLiga leaders Barcelona Check out the match summary here 15:55 CET - Meanwhile, a first-half brace from Charles De Ketelaere has given Atalanta a 2-0 half-time lead at Monza Match statsStatsPerformFollow the second period here 15:48 CET - It is half-time in the three early kick-offs in the Premier League, and the big story developing is that Brighton are leading Champions League chasing Newcastle United after a brilliant individual goal by Yankuba Minteh. Match statsStatsPerformFollow the second half here Brentford 2-1 Manchester United  West Ham 1-1 Tottenham 14:50 CET - A pair of spectacular strikes from Arda Guler and Kylian Mbappe have given Real Madrid a commanding two-goal lead over Celta Vigo at the break Follow the second half with Flashscore. 14:28 CET - Lazio have claimed a crucial three points in their pursuit of a top-four finish in Serie A, as Boulaye Dia's first-minute strike earned a narrow 1-0 victory over relegation-threatened Empoli Read the full match report here. Match statsOpta by StatsPerform14:02 CET - Gian Piero Gasperini's Atalanta travel to Monza in just under an hour with La Dea looking to consolidate their place in the Champions League qualification spots in Serie A Follow the match from 15:00 CET here. 13:49 CET - There are three games in the Premier League kicking off at 15:00 CET this afternoon, including fourth-placed Newcastle's visit to Brighton & Hove Albion Elsewhere, in-form Brentford host Manchester United and West Ham take on Tottenham in a London derby between the league's 16th and 17th-placed sides Keep track of the Premier League right here. Brighton vs Newcastle lineupsFlashscore13:12 CET - Over in Spain, second-placed Real Madrid host Celta Vigo in LaLiga at 14:00 CET with Carlo Ancelotti's side hoping to reduce Barcelona's lead at the summit back down to four points Follow the match with Flashscore here. Team lineupsFlashscore11:45 CET - Lazio continue their charge for European football with an away game at Empoli as they desperately battle to avoid relegation from Serie A Follow the game live with Flashscore. Serie A tableFlashscore11:00 CET - Good morning and welcome back to our Football Tracker as we look ahead to a typically busy Sunday across Europe's top leagues Real Madrid vs Celta Vigo - 14:00 CET Brentford vs Man United - 15:00 CET Freiburg vs Leverkusen - 17:30 CET Chelsea vs Liverpool - 17:30 CET Lille vs Marseille - 20:45 CET Bologna vs Juventus - 20:45 CET 23:03 CET - Monaco moved up into second in Ligue 1 after an exciting 3-1 win over relegation battlers St Etienne 22:56 CET - After going 1-0 down in the first half, Barcelona called on the cavalry to take down Valladolid, mounting a comeback to seal a 2-1 win and extend their lead at the top of LaLiga Top of LaLigaFlashscore22:36 CET - With a heavily rotated side, Inter Milan managed to get the job done against Verona, clinching a 1-0 win to move three points behind Napoli at the top of Serie A 20:32 CET - Title-chasers Barcelona and Inter Milan are in action tonight and ahead of their meeting next week in Europe several key players are being rested for both sides Barcelona line-upsFlashscoreInter Milan line-upsFlashscore20:27 CET - Arsenal have just suffered a nightmare result ahead of their Champions League second leg, losing 2-1 at home to Bournemouth It is the Cherries' first-ever win at the Emirates Arsenal will have to start looking over their shoulder with teams closing in on them in second place 20:23 CET - Borussia Dortmund have thumped Wolfsburg 4-0, with both Serhou Guirassy and Karim Adeyemi bagging braces to move into the top four in the Bundesliga 20:07 CET - It wasn't always convincing, but at this stage of the season, it doesn't really matter, as Napoli battled to a tight 1-0 win at relegation-threatened Lecce The victory sees Napoli stretch their lead to six points at the summit of Serie A with Inter Milan in action a little later this evening Top of Serie AFlashscore18:59 CET - Meanwhile in Ligue 1, a heavily rotated PSG side have lost back-to-back games to give Strasbourg a huge win in the race for Champions League qualification Check out the match summary with Flashscore 18:59 CET - An unstoppable Giacomo Raspadori free-kick is the difference at the break in Lecce. That brilliant strike from the edge of the box gives Napoli a priceless lead as they look to extend their lead at the top of Serie A Follow the second period here 18:12 CET - Villarreal have further cemented their position in fifth place and in possession of the final Champions League spot in LaLiga with a dominant 4-2 win against Osasuna 18:01 CET - Back to England and an inspired second-half response from Ipswich Town sees them walk away with a 2-2 draw at Everton Match statsStatsPerformLeicester City held on to beat Southampton 2-0 in the other game as the Saints' miserable season continued in the same light 17:53 CET - A heavily rotated PSG side have helped Strasbourg's push for Champions League football Luis Enrique has kept almost all of his star players from last Tuesday on the bench, and Strasbourg have taken full advantage to take a 2-0 lead at the break they will occupy fourth place and the final Champions League qualification spot First-half statsStatsPerform17:46 CET - Ahead of the biggest game in Arsenal's recent history on Wednesday, Mikel Arteta has selected a strong side which includes talisman Bukayo Saka for their game against Bournemouth this evening Starting lineupsFlashscoreListen to the commentary of that game from 18:30 CET here 17:35 CET - Next up in Serie A is a big game near the top of the table as league leaders Napoli travel to Lecce with a chance to go six points clear of Inter Follow the game here Napoli's starting lineupFlashscore17:27 CET - Bayern Munich will have to wait at least one more day to win the Bundesliga title, and Harry Kane too A dramatic last-gasp equaliser from RB Leipzig denies them on the day after a thrilling 3-3 draw Match statsStatsPerformCheck out the match stats here The soon-to-be champions thought they had pulled off the remarkable comeback to claim the title today Kane will have to wait for his first trophy a little longer.. 16:55 CET - Over to Serie A, and Como have extended their impressive winning run to five games after edging to a 1-0 win away to Parma Match statsStatsPerformOn the other end of the spectrum, Udinese have ended a losing run to defeat mid-table rivals Cagliari 2-1 Follow all the action from Serie A today here 16:52 CET - The first 16:00 CET game to reach half-time sees Everton lead Ipswich 2-1 in an entertaining first half First half statsStatsPerformIn the other Premier League game this afternoon, and after a lengthy stoppage to change referees, Leicester City lead Southampton 2-0 in the game between two relegated sides It will feel like an opportunity missed for Saints who had a chance today to beat Derby's Premier League total Follow the second period live with Flashscore 16:35 CET - Meanwhile, play has been paused in Leicester under comical circumstances as the referee has been wiped out by Jordan Ayew resulting in him needing to be stretchered off now a replacement referee has been subbed on 16:20 CET - It is not going to plan for Bayern Munich in what was set to be their title-winning day as they trail the impressive RB Leipzig 2-0 at the break Match statsStatsPerformElsewhere in the Bundesliga this afternoon: Borussia Monchengladbach 2-1 Hoffenheim  St. Pauli 0-0 Stuttgart Union Berlin 1-2 Werder Bremen  15:56 CET - All over from the first game of the day in LaLiga, and Atletico Madrid's season continues to fade after a dull 0-0 draw away to Alaves 15:39 CET - It’s all over in the Championship, with Leeds wrapping up the title after a last-gasp 2-1 victory at Plymouth Catch up on all the action here. 15:28 CET - Aston Villa have secured a crucial three points in their pursuit of a top-five finish, with Youri Tielemans' first-half header proving to be enough to defeat Fulham 1-0 Read the full match report here. Match statsOpta by StatsPerform14:57 CET - We've got a relatively quiet afternoon in the Premier League with only two matches getting underway at 16:00 CET David Moyes' Everton host already relegated Ipswich Town, while in the East Midlands, it's a clash between the league's two lowest sides, Leicester City and Southampton Follow both games with Flashscore. 14:42 CET - It's a blockbuster afternoon in the Bundesliga with four games kicking off at 15:30 CET, including Bayern Munich's trip to fifth-placed RB Leipzig as Vincent Kompany's side target a victory to seal the title Elsewhere, Borussia Monchengladbach host Hoffenheim, Union Berlin take on Werder Bremen and Stuttgart travel to St. Pauli Keep track of the Bundesliga action here. RB Leipzig vs Bayern lineupsFlashscore14:20 CET - We've reached the halfway stage between Aston Villa and Fulham in the Premier League, and it's Unai Emery's side who have the lead thanks to Youri Tielemans' close-range header Follow the second half with Flashscore. In the middle of the Champions League semi-final against Inter Milan comes Saturday's 9pm CEST kick-off against Real Valladolid at the José Zorrilla with Barça needing to keep collecting points in threes to stay ahead of Real Madrid in the Liga title chase Pablo Torre is a late dropout after picking up a knee problem and the 23 players named by coach Hansi Flick are thus as follows: Ter Stegen The fans were ecstatic when the goal-scoring icon bought the club in September 2018 but now they can't wait for him to leave After a dramatic but draining draw with European rivals Inter on Wednesday night Barcelona return to domestic action this weekend when they take on Real Valladolid on Saturday evening Victory is imperative for La Liga's leaders who are starting to feel the effects of playing nearly every four days since the start of the season as they look to maintain their four-point lead over second-placed Real Madrid going into a crucial Clasico at Montjuic on May 11 However, Barcelona really couldn't have picked a better team to play in the middle of an already-epic Champions League semi-final tie with Inter Real Valladolid aren't just bad; they're historically bad having been relegated from the Spanish top flight with a record-breaking five rounds remaining They're also a club in complete crisis things are going so badly on the field because the situation is so dire off it How did one of the game's most beloved characters become such a figure of hate at Valladolid Real Valladolid took the lead six minutes into the match when Iván Sánchez's shot took an awkward deflection off Ronald Araújo that Marc-André ter Stegen misjudged showing clear signs of rust after a seven plus month absence Hansi Flick made nine changes to the lineup that started the first leg of the Champions League semifinals vs. Inter Milan on Wednesday Dani Rodríguez made his Barça first team debut but suffered a right arm injury that forced Flick to bring on Lamine Yamal just before halftime Flick turned to his bench again and introduced Raphinha It didn't take long for the Brazilian to make his presence felt as he pounced on a rebound from a Yamal cross that André Ferreira tried to clear and tucked in Barça's equalizer in the 54th minute Gerard Martín sent in a deadly low cross from the left wing that Fermín López emphatically fired into the back of the net to complete yet another Barcelona comeback The Catalans cruised to the finish line but not before losing another player to injury with Gavi asking for his substitution whilst grabbing his hamstring 10 minutes from the final whistle Hansi Flick admitted that Barcelona's hard-fought win over Real Valladolid ruined his plans for a Champions League clash against Inter A round-up of the latest Barcelona news and rumors Valladolid 1-2 FC Barcelona: Crucial comeback - FC BarcelonaWith nine changes to the side that drew 3-3 with Inter on Wednesday Frustrating Barça debut for Dani Rodríguez - FC BarcelonaWinger Dani Rodríguez will not forget 3 March 2025 in a hurry It was the day he made his debut for the FC Barcelona first team in the starting XI no less for the trip to Valladolid that debut was cut short after just 38 minutes when a collision with a rival defender led to a shoulder injury that meant the 19 year old was unable to continue and had to be replaced by Lamine Yamal Ter Stegen returns after 223 days out - FC BarcelonaThe captain is back - after more than seven months out goalkeeper Marc ter Stegen has reappeared in a Barça shirt The German made his comeback in Barça's game on Saturday away to Real Valladolid playing his part in the team's vital 2-1 win to retain their advantage in the race for the La Liga title Ter Stegen: "I wanted to come back with a win" - Mundo DeportivoFC Barcelona's German goalkeeper returned to the pitch after overcoming a knee injury that kept him out for seven and a half months Fermín defends the team's spirit: "This Barça fights until the end and doesn't give up" - Mundo DeportivoScorer of the decisive goal that gave Barça the win in Valladolid the midfielder highlighted the team's ability to come back and expressed his excitement about the two upcoming challenges: Inter Milan and Real Madrid Flick: "Szczesny will play against Inter and Madrid" - Mundo DeportivoThe Barça coach expressed his satisfaction with Ter Stegen's performance following his return after 223 days but confirmed the Pole for the second leg of the semi-final in Milan and in the Clásico next Sunday in Montjuïc Getting ready for another vital La Liga test - FC BarcelonaThe final session before the away fixture saw Marc Casadó complete part of the session with the rest of the squad as the midfielder continues his comeback from injury When and where to watch Valladolid v FC Barcelona - FC BarcelonaTime to turn attention back to LaLiga as the domestic competition heads towards its climax Barça take on Valladolid in the José Zorrilla stadium and a win would reinforce the lead at the top of the table and strike off another game to boot The match kicks off at 9.00pm CEST on Saturday 4 May and this guide should help you work out what time that will be in your part of the world Hansi Flick: 'Ter Stegen will start' - FC BarcelonaAnother piece of good news as the blaugrana captain is set to return as confirmed by Hansi Flick during the press conference ahead of the Valladolid game It will be Marc-André ter Stegen's first start after recovering from the tendon injury to his right knee Travis Scott to feature on the Clásico jersey in conjunction with Spotify - FC BarcelonaUS singer with his Cactus Jack brand logo chosen as the artist to appear on the me.n’s first team jersey on 11 May and the women’s first team jersey on 18 May Flick announces rotations at Valladolid and demands the best "attitude and mentality" - Mundo Deportivo"You can lose a league title in these matches," warned the Barça coach but he admits he will consult "medical data" to rest players before the second leg of the Champions League semi-final against Inter Flick confirms: Ter Stegen will start in Valladolid-Barça - Mundo DeportivoThe coach confirmed what he had already anticipated in previous press conferences that there could be a change in goal in the League One of the gems of the youth team, ready to debut in Valladolid - Mundo DeportivoDani Rodríguez could have his first minutes with the first team at the José Zorrilla stadium Flick doesn't want to rush or take risks with Balde and Lewandowski - Mundo DeportivoA halt to the euphoria: a decision will be made on Sunday regarding the Inter match but the coach doesn't want to expose them to a relapse Flick's first clues for Barça's starting lineup against Inter at the San Siro - Mundo Deportivo"I have seven or eight players decided a lot of things can change," said the German coach before the visit to Valladolid Flick admits that "we need to defend the set pieces better" - Mundo Deportivo"It's not just a question of height but each player has to take responsibility for their mission," he said ahead of Barça-Valladolid What Flick thinks of the outpouring of praise for Lamine Yamal - Mundo DeportivoBarça's German coach also praised the 17-year-old Barça winger ahead of the visit to Valladolid Inter finally releases an ambiguous medical report on Lautaro Martínez - Mundo DeportivoThe Argentine striker begins the race to be available on Tuesday against Barça in the second leg of the Champions League semi-final New contact between Barça and Raphinha regarding his contract renewal - Mundo DeportivoThe Blaugrana club met with the Brazilian's representatives with the intention of continuing to bring their positions closer together ahead of the summer Xabi Alonso wants to steal Tah from Barça - Mundo DeportivoLeverkusen's current manager who will be in charge of Real Madrid when La Liga ends wants to bring his center back to the Santiago Bernabéu taking advantage of the fact that the Catalan club has not yet been able to close the deal due to its financial fair play issues Barça-Villarreal kickoff time confirmed for Matchday 37 - Mundo DeportivoThis Friday LaLiga announced the schedule for Matchday 37 As is customary with the penultimate and final league match the entire matchday is compressed into a single time slot when Villarreal visits the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys Focus returns to La Liga after success in the Copa del Rey and the 3-3 draw in midweek at the Estadi Olímpic against Internazionale in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final There are five games remaining for the blauganes in the league and the first of those is against Valladolid in the José Zorrilla stadium on Saturday Barça cannot afford to take this game lightly even though Valladolid are bottom of the table with just 16 points and are already relegated back to the Segunda División only a year after promotion With the return of the Champions League tie in Milan coming up on Tuesday and a league showdown with Real Madrid next weekend everything points to possible changes in the starting line up In his press conference on Friday coach Hansi Flick announced that goalkeeper Marc ter Stegen would start in the José Zorrilla his first appearance since returning from a long term knee injury A victory is of paramount importance for the blaugranes if they wish to maintain their four point lead in the table over Real Madrid before next weekend's Clásico in the Estadi Olímpic The game between the two side at Montjuïc in the league back in August saw Barça take a resounding 7-0 win In Valladolid the blaugranes have a good record in recent seasons despite losing 3-1 with the league title already secured on their last visit back in week 36 of the 2022/23 season That was just the second defeat for Barça in their last 10 visits to Valladolid seven of which have ended in victory for the blaugranes Valladolid's main threats up front are Raúl Moro with four goals and three assists this season and Mamadou Sylla who has five goals and two assists The home side will be without the injured Aidoo Kenedy and Javi Sánchez whilst Barça can add Jules Kounde to the list of absentees through injury that contains Casadó A hard-fought victory and three huge points Barcelona have temporarily opened up a seven-point lead at the top of the La Liga table and remain in control of the title race thanks to a hard-fought 2-1 win away to relegated Real Valladolid at the José Zorrilla Stadium on Saturday night A heavily rotated Barça side struggled to start and went into halftime down 1-0 to the worst team in the league but dominated the second half and found the two goals they needed to earn three crucial points ahead of next weekend’s title-deciding El Clásico Hansi Flick made nine changes to the team that started against Inter Milan in midweek and the lack of chemistry and continuity was evident at the beginning when Barça looked disjoined on both ends and were made to pay for it: Valladolid earned a corner that was cleared but eventually found Iván Sánchez on the right wing and his shot deflected off Ronald Arauj’s leg and went over the head of Marc-André ter Stegen and into the net to give the home team the lead just six minutes into the action The hosts settled into a very deep 5-4-1 shape designed to deny spaces and try to give their awful defense a chance to protect their lead and they were helped in the first 20 minutes by a Barça side that played safe and moved the ball backwards and sideways without creating any real trouble But they eventually started to play faster and take more chances and created two huge opportunities on a header by Pau Víctor and a shot by Ansu Fati that required a couple of brilliant saves by Valladolid goalkeeper André Ferreira Barça had all of the ball and started to put real pressure but couldn’t convert their chances and failed to equalize Then came a sad moment when winger Dani Rodríguez dislocated his shoulder trying to push off against a Valladolid defender and was forced to leave the pitch immediately Lamine Yamal came on in his place and was a dangerous presence on the wing but the teenager was frustrated at the end of the period as his team couldn’t find the net The halftime whistle came to end a first half in which Barça started slowly and conceded a strange goal but their strong finish to the period provided hope that they could find the winning goals in the second half sending on Raphinha for Ansu Fati and replacing Pedri with Frenkie de Jong in what was most likely a planned substitution before the game to give both of his two starting midfielders 45 minutes of rest The Blaugrana had a stronger look to their lineup with the substitutions and continued to apply pressure to begin the second half looking for a quick equalizer And they didn’t need to wait long to find it: Yamal sent a cross into the box looking for Ronald Araujo and Ferreira cleared it straight to Raphinha who fired it home with his right foot to make it all square just 10 minutes in And five minutes after that the comeback was completed: a nice long passing sequence ended with a perfect pass by Gerard Martín into the box and a great finish by Fermín López with his left foot to put the Blaugrana ahead at the hour mark The Catalans continued to attack to try and put the game away and had some big chances to score a third with Héctor Fort hitting the post and Yamal having a certain goal cleared off the line by Antonio Candela Valladolid managed to survive and had a huge chance to equalize on the other end but Ter Stegen made a strong save to deny Juanmi Latasa from close range We reached the final minutes with the game still not decided and Valladolid had a couple of dangerous counter-attacks in added time that required big interventions from Araujo and Ter Stegen But Barça managed to run out the clock without conceding a late equalizer and the final whistle came to give them all three points Barça suffered a little more than they should against the worst team in the league but considering all the changes and just how crucial the three points were you can forgive the team for not putting on a show We move on to a season-defining week against Inter Milan and Real Madrid and all the big names will be well-rested and ready for two gigantic games Pedri (De Jong 46’); Rodríguez (Yamal 38’) Join us for another Barcelona La Liga adventure Valladolid 1-2 Barcelona: A very important victory thanks to a quality second half comeback to give Barça three more points as they stay in control of the title race ahead of a monster El Clásico next weekend The game was more difficult than expected but the win was all that mattered considering the rotations and the players missing Valladolid 1-2 Barcelona (Fermín): BARÇA TAKE THE LEAD!! The comeback is complete as Gerard Martín plays a perfect pass into the box and Fermín López fires it home with his left foot Valladolid 1-1 Barcelona (Raphinha): BARÇA EQUALIZE!! Yamal sends a cross into the box looking for Ronald Araujo and goalkeeper André Ferreira clears it straight to Raphinha who fires it home with his right foot and we are all square Valladolid 1-0 Barcelona: And we’re back underway in Valladolid Valladolid 1-0 Barcelona: Barça conceded a strange early goal almost allowed a second and had a very slow start but eventually grew into the game and created enough to at least equalize before the break and need to increase their intensity and creativity in the final third to find the winning goals in the second half 38’ INJURY: A very sad end to the first team debut of Dani Rodríguez as the young winger appears to dislocate his shoulder trying to push off against a Valladolid defender His right arm is immediately immobilized by the team doctors and he’s replaced by Lamine Yamal Valladolid 1-0 Barcelona (Sánchez): Valladolid take the lead as Iván Sánchez gets the ball on the right wing and fires a shot that deflects off Ronald Araujo’s leg and goes over the head of Marc-André ter Stegen into the net Valladolid 0-0 Barcelona: And we’re underway in Valladolid The home of Real Valladolid in the city of Valladolid is the site of a huge La Liga game between the hosts and Barcelona who come into this one looking to stay in control of the title race and take three more points before a league-deciding El Clásico next week Valladolid are already relegated and have been a disaster all season but Barça are expected to make several changes ahead of the second leg against Inter Milan and the hosts will look to take advantage of those rotations to pull off a monster upset and have someting to smile about in a dreadful campaign and you’re welcome to join us to follow and comment all the action Note: the comments will be opened only when the team news come out because our commenter people love commenting and sometimes there are too many comments in the comments section) On TV: ESPN Deportes (USA), Startimes Sports Premium (Nigeria), Premier Sports 2 (UK), others Online: ESPN+ (USA), LaLigaTV (UK), GXR World (India), DAZN (Spain), others but there are a few things to keep in mind when joining our matchday threads: Even if the referee sucks or we lose the game and those who post links will be instantly banned This is a Barcelona community and we don’t need to offend one another Barcelona youngster Dani Rodriguez was sadly forced off injured on his debut for the senior side against Real Valladolid Rodriguez had enjoyed a bright first outing for Hansi Flick’s side but had to be replaced 10 minutes before half-time after picking up a problem The youngster appeared to suffer a shoulder injury and was taped up by the medical staff on the pitch before being able to walk off holding his arm who has been tipped to make the first team for some time and we’ll have to hope it’s not a serious injury The teenager had been given a breather and started the match on the bench but will play an hour against Real Valladolid Real Valladolid scored a fortunate early goal to leave Barca needing a comeback if they are to take the three points Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen was a happy man after making his long-awaited return from injury against Real Valladolid The German was back in the starting XI for the first time since September and spoke to the media after the 2-1 victory “I really wanted to play tonight and it’s always better when you win We are keeping on our good run of results which is important We know we have some big games games coming up and it will be spectacular hopefully,” he said it’s always difficult at a ground like this Valladolid had nothing to lose but I do feel sorry for them Their support was behind them but we did what we had to do “I think he [Flick] has found a good balance because he gives us all importance to be part of the team but we are all a team and if we all win it’s better and we enjoy it.” Ter Stegen conceded early on in the game to a deflected effort but then went on to make some important saves as Barca picked up all three points Barça face the worst team in the league looking for a crucial win ahead of a monster week Barcelona Outs & Doubts: Alejandro Balde Valladolid Outs & Doubts: Javi Sánchez How to watch on TV: ESPN Deportes (USA), Startimes Sports Premium (Nigeria), Premier Sports 2 (UK), others How to watch online: ESPN+ (USA), LaLigaTV (UK), GXR World (India), DAZN (Spain), others Following a wild 3-3 draw in the first leg of the Champions League semi-finals against Inter Milan in midweek Barcelona return to action for a crucial La Liga match as the leaders travel to Valladolid to face bottom of the table and relegated Real Valladolid at the José Zorrilla Stadium on Saturday Night Fútbol Barça come into this one looking to stay in control of the title race with a chance to extend their lead at the top of the table to seven points before Real Madrid face a very tricky home test against Celta Vigo on Sunday Valladolid is the last hurdle to clear before the title-deciding El Clásico next weekend so it’s imperative that Barça get all three points in this one And they will be massive favorites to do so: it is hard to put into words just how terrible Valladolid have been this season a team relegated with five games to spare and on track to finish with the worst record of any La Liga side this century unless they somehow manage to earn five points from their final five games They have conceded a staggering 81 goals in 33 matches which seems almost impossible for a first division team in a low-scoring league such as La Liga Players have been caught fighting on the bench and the immediate future seems bleak for what once was a strong institution in Spanish football Barça beat them 7-0 in the reverse fixture earlier this season in what was the first sign that Hansi Flick’s team had something special to them and Valladolid haven’t gotten any better since Their attack has some good talent in midfielder Chuki and winger Raúl Moro but their defense is just too bad to allow their forward players to compete at all Their players look completely checked out and ready for the season to end and the supporters are angry and hostile towards the entire club but maybe a big upset against Barça can give them some reason to smile and some hope for what comes next And with Flick expected to make massive rotations to his squad with the second leg against Inter in mind there is at least a chance that Barça could be weakened enough to make the game slightly more competitive and give Valladolid some hope of catching the Catalans on an off-night to make the impossible happen The Blaugrana cannot allow Valladolid to hang around and gain any kind of momentum Even a heavily rotated Barça team is more than good enough to win this decisively and without any drama and allow the big names to get a much-needed rest ahead of a monster week that will decide the entire season Those who get a rare chance to play must grab the opportunity with both hands and show their worth and help lead Barça to three crucial points Valladolid have a good enough attack to cause some trouble but their defense is so terrible that even a rotated Barça side should have more than enough to win on the road: 3-1 to the good guys Hansi Flick has called up 23 players for Saturday’s clash The Blaugrana play a huge La Liga road game against Real Valladolid and Hansi Flick has called up the following 23 players for Saturday’s clash: Barça’s squad arrives at the final month of the season hanging by a thread from a fitness standpoint with yet another key starter injured in midweek against Inter Milan as Jules Kounde is expected to miss three weeks with a hamstring injury Pablo Torre is also out with a knee issue according to the club and joins Kounde and Marc Bernal (knee) on the list of long-term injury absences Robert Lewandowski (hamstring) and Marc Casadó (knee) are all back in training but still awaiting their medical clearance The lack of depth due to injuries has forced Flick to look to La Masia with left-back Landry Farré and winger Dani Rodríguez getting their debut first team call-up and midfielder Noah Darvich making the squad for a second time this season The match kicks off at 9pm CET (Barcelona) and you can join us to follow and comment all the action BetaAskNever miss a moment with Real MadridSign up for the latest news and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox every Monday Hansi Flick sent out a warning before travelling to Real Valladolid that “You can lose La Liga in these games” but then named a heavily-rotated team for the match Hector Fort and Andreas Christensen were all in from the start against a team that had already been relegated from La Liga and were hammered 7-0 by Barca at the start of the season Yet Barca got off to the worst possible start as Real Valladolid managed to score a fortunate goal with a deflected shot looping over Marc-Andre ter Stegen It was the German’s first outing since September but he was beaten after just five minutes Barca went on to dominate possession but never really hit top gear while Ansu Fati went close with a curling effort that André Ferreira tipped away at full stretch For a team packed full of players with a point to prove The arrival of Lamine Yamal for the unfortunate Dani Rodriguez made a difference and he was joined at the start of the second half by Raphinha and Frenkie de Jong The changes told you all you needed to know about what Flick thought of the first half And Barca needed their regulars to go on and get the win on what turned out to be a very nervy night for the visitors It’s hard to fault Flick’s decision to rotate so heavily given the packed schedule but it did very nearly backfire Saturday’s game was a memorable one for Dani Rodriguez but probably for all the wrong reasons Barca fans were finally treated to the sight of seeing the talented youngster in the starting XI but it all went horribly wrong when he went off early with a painful-looking shoulder injury There’s no doubt it’s a real blow for such a promising talent, although Hansi Flick made it clear that he’s very much still in his plans - we may just have to wait a little while to see him back in first team colors Rodriguez’s departure led to the arrival of Yamal who helped turn the game in Barcelona’s favour Raphinha also proved key as the Brazilian scored within minutes of taking to the pitch before Fermin Lopez hit the winner 31 - Brazilians from Europe's to five leagues with 31+ goals in a single season in all competitions, since 2013/14:1. Neymar Jr (39 in 2014/15 and 31 in 2015/16)2. RAPHINHA (31 in 2024/25)Chosen. pic.twitter.com/QWMnVmjLYv Flick admitted afterwards that Yamal and Raphinha had seen more game time that he had wanted but also backed the players who came into the team “I planned for Pedri and De Jong to play just 45 minutes each I would have also liked Raphinha and Lamine to play fewer minutes,” he said afterwards Yet the fact Barca needed their top stars to bail them out will raise questions over the future of some of Flick’s back-ups Barca may have suffered against Real Valladolid but they still did just about enough for three three points and move seven points clear at the top with four games left It’s yet another comeback win for Barca this season Flick’s side have made a habit of going behind but have shown plenty of heart throughout the campaign to hit back “We’re making a lot of comebacks,” he told reporters the important thing is the three points.” The result brings the title into view and means Barca can win La Liga next weekend in the Clasico if Real Madrid fail to take all three points against Celta Vigo later today There’s no doubt that it’s a tantalising prospect for the Barcelona players particularly given the fact they have beaten Real Madrid three times already this season Yet before all of that there’s the small matter of a Champions League semi-final second leg against Inter at San Siro Hansi Flick is considering handing wonderkid Dani Rodriguez his Barcelona first-team debut against Real Valladolid on Saturday He’s a booking away from missing the Clasico Hansi Flick is expected to make a few changes to his Barcelona team on Saturday when the Catalans take on bottom side Real Valladolid in La Liga Gavi is expected to come in to the starting XI for the match and make his 12th La Liga start of the 2024-25 season the combative midfielder will have to be careful if he does play He’s just one booking away from a one-match ban and if he sees yellow on Saturday he’ll miss the Clasico Gavi isn’t the only player in this situation Inigo Martinez and Raphinha are also walking a disciplinary tightrope and will aim to avoid a booking there’s a chance both players could be rested Flick has Andreas Christensen and Ronald Araujo available to play and could give Martinez a breather Raphinha may also be rotated as the game falls at a busy time and in between two Champions League semi-final ties with Inter The Brazilian bagged a hat-trick against Real Valladolid at Montjuic at the start of the season but Flick will want him fresh for the San Siro Saturday’s opponents have already been relegated Hansi Flick has warned his side not to lose focus ahead of Saturday’s La Liga clash with bottom side Real Valladolid Barca ran out 7-0 winners when the two teams met earlier in the season and are hot favourites to clinch the three points Yet Flick knows the game is a potential banana skin and must be taken seriously it’s the most honest title if you win it because you have to play at the highest level all season,” he told reporters “It doesn’t matter where Valladolid will play next season right now they are in La Liga and we respect that you can lose La Liga in these games and we already suffered a lot in the first half of the season against Las Palmas and Leganés the team knows what these games are like and is mentally focused The Barcelona boss is expected to rotate his team for the match and took a check on youngsters Dani Rodriguez Noah Darvich and Landry Farre in training on Friday Barcelona extended the gap atop LaLiga to seven points with a 2-1 comeback win at relegated Real Valladolid on Saturday thanks to second-half strikes by Raphinha and Fermin Lopez Barcelona have been handed a major sigh of relief ahead of their Champions League semi-final second leg against Inter Milan Despite giving fans a scare during the recent La Liga clash against Real Valladolid, MARCA reveals that Gavi will be available for Tuesday’s decisive fixture at San Siro It must be noted that the young midfielder was forced to leave the pitch in the 79th minute after showing signs of discomfort Gavi reached for the back of his right leg and even went to the ground However, the early signs suggest it was nothing more than fatigue. Manager Hansi Flick remained calm after the match, confirming in his press conference: “He’s fine It was clear from the outset that Gavi had been pushing himself as he always does The 20-year-old has become a symbol of Barcelona’s fighting spirit and his presence in midfield continues to be crucial Although he could not complete the full 90 minutes against Valladolid Flick’s decision to substitute him appeared to be precautionary and Barcelona held on to secure a vital three points the team returned to Barcelona and will travel to Milan on Monday recovery is essential — but the news around Gavi’s fitness is as positive as Barça fans could have hoped With Robert Lewandowski also on track for a return Flick will have two vital players available for the most important match of the season Time to turn attention back to LaLiga as the domestic competition heads towards its climax If you are unable to watch for whatever reason, or if you wish to complement your viewing with second screen info, don’t forget that we have full coverage of the game, including the build-up live from the stadium and post-match reactions in our Match Center right here on the official website Here's a map showing selected kick-off times around the world with a link to download it should you prefer: And not forgetting the complete coverage available on our official social networks: * Please note that we list the channels that hold the rights to show games in the 2024/25 season here, but we cannot guarantee that they will be televising this particular game, or that the rights have not been transferred to another broadcaster. Please check local TV listings to be sure. Canada (Vancouver 12.00pm, Montreal 3.00pm)TSN (English), RDS (French) USA (Los Angeles 12.00pm, New York 3.00pm)ESPN Central America and Dominican Republic (Costa Rica 1.00pm, Panama 2.00pm, Dominican Republic 3.00pm)Sky (plus Sportsmax in Dom Rep) Caribbean (Jamaica 2.00pm, Bahamas 3.00pm)Sportsmax (plus ESPN and Star+ in certain countries and ATV in Suriname) French Caribbean (Martinique 3.00pm, French Guiana 4.00pm)Bein Spanish speaking South America (Peru, Colombia 2.00pm, Venezuela, Chile 3.00pm, Argentina, Uruguay 4.00pm)ESPN, Star+, DirecTV (plus IVC in Venezuela,Tigo in Bolivia) United Kingdom and Ireland (8.00pm)Viaplay Germany, Austria and Italy (9.00pm)DAZN (and Sky Sports Bar in Italy) Balkan Republics (9.00pm)Arena (and Artmotion in Kosovo) Baltic Republics and Belarus (10.00pm)Setanta Caucasus Region (11.00pm)Setanta (plus TV Net and Real TV in Azerbaijan) North Africa (Morocco 7.00pm, Libya, Egypt 9.00pm)Bein Sub-Saharan Africa (Senegal, Ghana 7.00pm, Nigeria, Cameroon 8.00pm, South Africa, Zambia 9.00pm, Ethiopia 10.00pm)Super Sport (English and local languages) Canal + Sport (French), Zap (Portuguese) Arab countries and Iran (Mecca 10.00pm, Iran 10.30pm)Bein Central Asian republics (Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan 12.00am)Setanta Indian Subcontinent (Afghanistan 11.30pm April 12, Pakistan 12.00am, India 12.30am, Bangladesh 1.00am)Voot, MTV (plus Sports 18 in India) Southeast Asia (Cambodia, Thailand, Indonesia 2.00am, Philippines 3.00am)Bein, La Liga TV (plus CTN in Cambodia, and Setanta in Philippines) Australia (Perth 3.00am, Sydney 5.00am)Optus Another piece of good news as the blaugrana captain is set to return, as confirmed by Hansi Flick during the press conference ahead of the Valladolid game. It will be Marc-André ter Stegen's first start after recovering from the tendon injury to his right knee. Flick was quick to answer the question, stating "Marc will play tomorrow". The coach explained that Ter Stegen "has been training fantastically well for some time" and acknowledged that he is back at a "good level". As such and to give Szczesny a rest, the captain will be back in the FC Barcelona goal after 223 days out. The game against Valladolid may be coming between the Champions League semifinal legs, but the blaugranes are quite clear where their focus should be. "LaLiga is most important now, it is the best possible recognition for being at the highest level throughout the season. That's why a win is vital, games like these decide the competition", acknowledged the blaugrana coach. For that reason Hansi Flick explained that he is likely to rotate, albeit he is taking everyone available to him. In fact, the German coach made a point of emphasising that player health needs to be considered, stating "We have to do what the medical staff say and see who can play. Important days are coming and clearly we should rotate". All the same, the blaugranes know that this Saturday poses a tough challenge. "Teams like Valladolid want to show what they can do against the big teams. We have to match their attitude and mentality", admitted the coach. Barcelona secured a narrow 2-1 win over Valladolid and manager Hansi Flick shared his thoughts after the match The German coach kept things simple and clear speaking about key players like Ter Stegen and some of the squad rotations that influenced the game Flick made it clear that the goal was always to win The coach also acknowledged that the changes in the starting lineup affected the flow struggled a bit against Valladolid’s speedy attacker But I’m still happy because we saved minutes for others ahead of the Inter game.” We need to help him recover and stay confident,” he added Flick also gave updates on minutes management saying that players like Pedri and Frenkie de Jong were always planned to play only 45 minutes “I was prepared for Pedri and Frenkie to play 45 minutes But it’s also good that he plays to get his rhythm going,” added Flick Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s return was a major talking point but also made it clear that Szczesny would be the starting goalkeeper in the upcoming Champions League clash and the El Clasico Szczesny will play in the Champions League and against Madrid.” but we will examine him just to be sure,” Flick confirmed The coach also hinted that Fermin Lopez could start in Milan calling him a versatile player who is always an option for the starting XI “He’s a player who always has a chance of being in the starting eleven Flick seems to be keeping things in control and making sure players are fresh for more important battles ahead Source: MARCA Barcelona took to the field at Jose Zorilla against a relegated Real Valladolid on Saturday night and the game turned out more challenging than initially anticipated Hansi Flick heavily rotated his starting lineup on the night keeping the semifinal against Inter Milan in mind and thus placed all critical players barring Pedri on the bench were clear favourites given the hosts’ poor form but the tables turned when Real Valladolid opened the scoring just five minutes into the game The Catalans did not find an equaliser in the first half forcing Flick to bring on some key players at half-time goals from Raphinha and Fermin Lopez helped turn the tie around Barça Universal brings you the player ratings from Real Valladolid 1-2 Barcelona The club captain made his first appearance after the injury he suffered earlier this season and thus made a long-awaited return to the field it did not quite go to plan as he conceded a goal in just the fifth minute of the game While he may indeed have been in a helpless position his reluctance to even stretch and make an attempt did generate criticism Made a huge save in the 73rd minute to deny Latasa a good goalscoring chance The left-back pushed extremely high up Barcelona’s flank and looked to provide width in attack While he did move up the field in position he was quite clueless as to how to contribute to the department Earned the assist for Fermin’s goal in the second period Christensen made his first start under Hansi Flick against Real Valladolid and looked largely comfortable in possession and with his defensive tasks May not have been at his vintage defensive best but largely did well with good distribution and a decent understanding of the high-line tactic The Uruguayan star started as Barcelona’s leader in defence and was crucial as the hosts looked to constantly threaten on the counter-attack His pace was tested on numerous occasions to stop Valladolid’s counters but the ship stabilised relatively after the break The youngster started at right-back and was placed extremely high up the field to stretch out the defence Was confident and calm on the ball and did not have too much defensive responsibility Almost scored a stunning solo goal in the second half but was unlucky to hit the post on the occasion Pedri was Barcelona’s only regular player who started the game last night and was on the field as Flick wished to ensure stability in midfield even through rotations Did well in possession and was quite clearly Barcelona’s most on-song player in the first half with all the team’s attacks flowing through him The La Masia graduate started the game and was part of Barcelona’s pivot alongside Pedri Was at his vintage best in terms of defensive contributions and tackles but had his attacking output limited by his position on the field Fermin was one of Barcelona’s brighter spots in the glum and dull first half especially with his precise crosses which created some of the team’s best chances The player played a higher position than usual and constantly threatened Real Valladolid’s goal Eventually got his flowers with a well-worked goal to give Barcelona the lead The youngster made his first start for Barcelona and looked fresh throughout his performance on the left wing Pulled off a few dribbles and attempted a couple of shots Unfortunately had to leave the field injured late in the first half after he dislocated his shoulder The game against Real Valladolid was largely seen as a huge chance for Fati to redeem himself and build on the positive impression he created in his last appearance While he did show promise once again and even had a great chance to score he did not offer as much comprehensive threat on goal as Barcelona required and was hooked off at half-time The striker made a rare start for Barcelona and had a couple of chances to score in the first half the biggest of which was off a cross by Fermin he failed to create or bury any chances during his time on the field The youngster came on earlier than expected after Dani Rodriguez suffered an unfortunate setback and immediately began pulling the strings in Barcelona’s attack Took over as the primary creator after the break and pioneered the comeback with a great cross into the box which eventually resulted in Raphinha’s goal The Brazilian star came on at half-time as Hansi Flick’s weapon to pioneer a comeback Needed just five minutes to give his side the equaliser as he struck the ball cleanly on a volley to put it into the back of the net Barcelona boss Hansi Flick confirmed Marc-Andre ter Stegen will make his first start since recovering from knee surgery in Saturday’s clash against Real Valladolid The German has not featured since September but has been passed fit and will take over from Wojciech Szczęsny between the sticks We can finish the press conference now,” he said with a laugh when asked about the goalkeeper at his presser “I think it’s good for goalkeepers to have a few minutes to recover Marc is on a good path and his performances in training are fantastic I’m not thinking about changing anything until the end of the season ️ HANSI FLICK: “Marc [ter Stegen] will be back tomorrow.” #ValladolidBarça pic.twitter.com/5H0Gwgc511 Flick also offered an update on injured stars Alejandro Balde and Robert Lewandowski who are hoping to return soon “We have to wait and see how things progress day by day “He [Lewandowski] might be back for the second leg Robert is doing very well and his progress is much better than we expected He’s a great professional and always works hard to be 100% The Barcelona boss has been tipped to rotate his side against Valladolid “It was proven against Inter that players like Koundé can get injured,” he explained “We now have to listen to the medical team to determine which player needs rest Barcelona would have loved to have a matchday off after the game against Inter Milan especially with the second leg approaching swiftly and the team not having capitalised on the home advantage earlier this week the league mandates that the Blaugrana must play their scheduled game and they will at least find some peace after knowing who they face Real Valladolid are not a team one would usually underestimate but their form in recent months have been simply awful They have been officially relegated from the league and are not playing for anything more than pride They have conceded 81 goals and scored just 24 in 33 games so far this season the next highest goals conceded in the division is 53 by Las Palmas and the difference of 28 goals says everything one needs to know Barça Universal brings you three talking points ahead of Real Valladolid vs Barcelona Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s patellar tendon rupture earlier this season was expected to keep him out of action until the beginning of the new campaign for knee injuries are seldom easy to recover from has indeed boosted his recovery as he always planned and is available for the tail end of the season He returned to training with the group last month and is all set to face Real Valladolid tomorrow Speaking to the media earlier today in his pre-game press conference Hansi Flick confirmed that Ter Stegen will start tomorrow night and thus make his much-awaited return to the field since he last played in September Wojciech Szczesny arrived as a replacement and had done well to replace the club captain in his absence All signs point to him continuing as the starter in big games this season but Ter Stegen’s return is a key moment in determining his future too While the German will indeed be happy to return to the field tomorrow it will undoubtedly come with massive pressure especially given Szczesny’s level in recent months Ter Stegen’s integration back into the dynamics will be slow and measured Barcelona played Real Madrid and Inter Milan in back-to-back games just over 72 hours apart in the past week Considering that they played 120 minutes in the Copa del Rey final the first leg vs the Italians was not easy by any means Barcelona will have to be fresh and rejuvenated for the second leg next week Real Valladolid are currently one of the most struggling teams in La Liga and have lost 13 of their last 14 games in La Liga they have eaten five goals against Real Betis four against Getafe and Real Sociedad and seven against Athletic Club in recent games it is safe to state that they are completely out of sorts do not require a team anywhere close to the Gala XI tomorrow and Flick will look to make massive rotations Pau Cubarsi and Inigo Martinez are better rested tomorrow with it likely that Andreas Christensen gets his first start of the season alongside Ronald Araujo Gerard Martin and Hector Fort can start as the full-backs Pedri and Frenkie de Jong are better rested and the manager may look to deploy Gavi and Eric Garcia alongside Pablo Torre in the attacking midfield role Lamine Yamal and Raphinha may well drop to the bench with Fermin Lopez Ansu Fati and Ferran Torres a solid trio to start Pau Victor also has options to squeeze in instead of the ‘Shark’ the game tomorrow will be a big chance to prove themselves While Torre has largely done well when called upon Fati showed great promise in his last appearance and will look to build on the same and every clash now takes Barcelona ever so close to the title have crashed out of contention but Real Madrid Matchday 35 next week sees Barcelona and Los Blancos face off at Montjuic and the game may well decide the title race there is every possibility that the current matchday itself takes Flick’s side to the cusp of the championship While Barcelona face a tame opponent in Real Valladolid and are very likely to comfortably take three points even with a rotated core Real Madrid face a massive uphill challenge against Celta Vigo The Galician team were wronged by Los Blancos in the Copa del Rey earlier this year and they will be out for revenge are at their most vulnerable with several injury blows flowing in Should Real Madrid slip up and lose against Celta Barcelona could boast of a seven-point lead over them heading into the Clasico winning the Clasico will secure Barcelona the league title and there could be no better way to finish the story Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen made his much-awaited return after more than seven months out with a knee injury The German shot-stopper was back in goal as Barça faced Real Valladolid in a must-win game that ended 2-1 in favour of the Catalan side This victory could prove crucial in the race for the La Liga title Valladolid took the lead when Ivan Sanchez’s strike deflected off Ronald Araujo and looped past Ter Stegen especially for a goalkeeper coming back after 223 days Barcelona looked sharper and more determined Raphinha and Fermin Lopez found the net in the second half turning the game around and securing a much-needed win Ter Stegen said he was thrilled to be back on the pitch “I was really looking forward to playing again We’re in good shape and ready for the important games coming up,” he added “He always finds the right balance and values everyone in the squad and the most important thing is that we enjoy the process together.” The win keeps Barcelona in the title fight and marks a positive return for one of their most important players having Ter Stegen back between the posts could make a big difference Source: Mundo Deportivo Barcelona secured a crucial 2-1 victory over Real Valladolid with midfielder Fermin Lopez scoring the match-winning goal with Valladolid taking the lead early in the sixth minute proving that they will fight until the end of each match as they inch closer to the La Liga title Barcelona’s hard-fought win has put them seven points clear of rivals Real Madrid who will face their own challenge this weekend Fermin was quick to highlight the importance of perseverance throughout the match no matter how the game is going,” he said after the match “I think we improved in the second half and picked up three important points.” The Blaugrana were initially thrown off balance by Valladolid’s early goal but Fermin praised his team’s ability to regroup and stay focused but we improved in the second half,” he reflected the next challenge for Barcelona will be a crucial El Clasico against Real Madrid at Montjuic While the victory over Valladolid was important Fermin is already turning his attention to upcoming fixtures and we have to prepare for the match with enthusiasm and focus,” said the midfielder When asked whether a potential win against Real Madrid next Sunday would mark Barcelona’s La Liga title triumph but we’re going to try to prepare for the Clásico after Inter was also instrumental in the team’s performance The defender acknowledged that the team had to adjust after Valladolid’s early goal but their fluidity improved as the match went on “The goal made things difficult for us at the start but we adjusted well and were more fluid in the second half,” said Martin “I think we moved the ball faster from side to side As Barcelona now shift their focus to the Champions League semi-final second leg against Inter Milan the squad remains aware that each match is a crucial step toward achieving more this season but today was a difficult game because everyone assumes it is won but there is never an easy opponent,” said Martin Barcelona’s players and staff are united in their pursuit of both La Liga and European glory Source: Mundo Deportivo With seven matches remaining in the season Barça keeps alive the chances of winning the desired treble The blaugranas only have five league matches ahead to secure the title in addition to the Champions League semifinals where they dream of reaching the grand final The team arrives at the decisive stage of the season after winning the Copa del Rey Barça Lifting the Cup | @FCBarcelonaHowever aware that the market is just around the corner Barça is already designing its strategy for summer The board and Deco are working on the arrival of a star signing The goal is to strengthen the squad to continue fighting for all titles next season the club is once again limited by Financial Fair Play Economic restrictions continue to dictate operations Barça is fully aware that they will need to sell assets before signing new players Deco has already drawn up a list of expendable players who could leave in the coming months The sporting director handles several names that would free up salary mass and generate sufficient income to meet the registration requirements for new signings there are three names that the club already considers almost certain departures if the situation doesn't change who still hasn't regained the level he promised after his breakthrough will be one of the sacrifices to make room in the squad Ansu Fati is defenestrated | @FCBarcelonaAlongside him Andreas Christensen and Iñaki Peña are also on the list the young goalkeeper is considered expendable due to the presence of Szczesny and Ter Stegen Additionally, according to "E-Noticies," another name Deco has put forward is Ronald Araujo. Although he recently renewed, he has a release clause of 65 million that makes him a very tempting option to balance the accounts Ronald Araujo during a training session with Barça | @FCBarcelonaThe club knows that the sale of Araujo could economically unlock several important operations in the market. For Deco, it would be a lesser evil that would allow Barça to undertake the star signing they have in mind. ➡️ Male