Match Preview : Real Valladolid VS Barça

A quick review for tonight’s game, as we travel away to Valladolid. To face real Valladolid in the first of our final three games of the season. Of course, we don’t have anything riding on this game as we’ve already managed to wrap up the league title, with a few games to go. But we don’t just want to stumble into next season. We at least want to end on the best way possible. In our last game against sociedad, there wasn’t much of a motivation for the team. And that’s understandable. But it would still be nice to end on the best way possible, so we can at least go into next season with some momentum. Although it is slightly fair if the team has lost that bit of motivation.

However, there are a to of players who are going to be playing for their future at the club. We’ve ask so got to get the clean sheet record over the line as well as help Lewandowski achieve his very first Pichichi award. So although the league is done and the results don’t matter too much, there are still a few incentives left to play for.

A quick look at our opponents:

Real Valladolid are currently fighting with relegation and are level on points with Getafe who are just above them. On 35 points, they are fighting with Espanyol and Getafe to be the next two relegated teams. They’ve managed to score a total of 30 goals over the course of the season but have also conceded the second most amount of goals (62). Which is a main factor why they are where they are currently. Again,just like the sociedad game on Saturday, its one of those games where we don’t have anything to play for, here as Valladolid have everything to play for. They’re fighting for survival, so it will be a tricky game. But like I’ve also said, there are still small incentives for us.

Predicted lineup:

Coming into the game we’ve got a couple of absentees, which include Kounde, Araujo and Pedri. Although it’s assumed that there’s nothing seriously wrong with them, Xavi is just using this time to rest them. Especially Pedri and Araujo who have had discomfort for most of the season. It’s the end of the season so its not worth the risk. That means the defence has quite a lot of holes in it, so id expect Christensen and Balde to start. With Roberto and Eric Garcia partnering them.

Gavi is back from suspension, and we really missed his intensity in the last game, so that’s a good bit of news. Hell most likely join Frenkie and Busquets in the midfield. Although I would love to see Pablo Torre get a start in tonight’s game, after a really impressive cameo against Sociedad.

And then in the attack, I don’t think Dembele will start as he played the full 90 just a few days ago. And of course we don’t want to risk him. So Raphinha will take his place. And then i would play Ansu Fati off the left, and i hope he can get on the scoresheet. With the pichichi leading the line down the middle.