Real Valladolid vs FC Barcelona verdict, predicted score, key stats and suggested bets
- George Dempsey
- 22 May 2023
Hosts Real Valladolid have three games remaining to preserve their La Liga status and welcome champions Barcelona on Tuesday evening.
Valladolid couldn't have picked a tougher fixture in their current situation, but Barcelona are a team with nothing to play for and they could rotate on Tuesday.
Date, KO time and TV coverage
La Liga, Tuesday May 23, Kick-off 9pm, live on Viaplay Sports 1
Predicted score
Suggested bets
Real Valladolid to win
Over 2.5 goals
Both teams to score
Key stats
Real Valladolid are unbeaten in 10 of their 17 home La Liga matches.
Real Valladolid have beaten European contenders Girona and Real Sociedad at home.
Barcelona have failed to win five of their last nine matches.
Barcelona have dropped points to three of the bottom seven including a 1-0 defeat away to Almeria.
Real Valladolid vs Barcelona team news
The hosts will be without the trio of Anuar Tuhami, Luis Perez and Selim Amallah. Martin Hongla is going to miss out due to suspension.
Barcelona could have a full squad of players to pick from, with Pedri and Ronald Araujo expected to return. It remains to be seen if Xavi opts to rotate his line-up of champions for Tuesday's match.
Verdict
With the La Liga title in the bag, Barcelona took their foot off the gas at the weekend, losing 2-1 to a Real Sociedad side hunting down European football.
Their opponents on Tuesday, Real Valladolid, are another side with a much greater need for points. They sit 18th in the table with just their poor goal difference separating them from Getafe, the side currently outside of the relegation zone.
After seven points in three matches against Real Mallorca, Villarreal and Girona last month, it looked as if the hosts would secure their La Liga status comfortably.
Fast forward to the present day and they have lost five consecutive matches, missing golden opportunities against the likes of Valencia and Cadiz.
They led until the 60th minute at Valencia and had Atletico Madrid on the ropes at 3-2, but they have been poor in their three defeats since and have conceded at least twice in five consecutive games.
It looks like it's going to come down to a final day showdown when they host Getafe, but they will want to put themselves in pole position before then.
Barcelona didn't manage a goal until the 90th minute in their loss to Real Sociedad, who worked hard and were good value for their win. They needed the points more and it showed.
Before their title victory in Espanyol, Barca struggled to see off 10-man Osasuna and they have failed to win five of their last nine. They may slip up again here.
Valladolid's relegation-threatened rivals Almeria have beaten Barcelona 1-0 at home this season, while Getafe were able to hold firm to claim a point in a 0-0 draw.
The hosts don't manage many clean sheets, but they have shut out the opposition in five of their 10 wins and they are unbeaten in 10 of 17 home La Liga matches.
The Blaugrana fielded a strong team at the weekend despite having wrapped up the title, so it's more likely we'll see rotation on Tuesday evening. Valladolid have absolutely nothing to lose, so we're going to back a surprise result.
