In a significant upset, relegation-threatened Real Valladolid emerged victorious with a 3-1 win over reigning champions Barcelona in their home game on Tuesday. The crucial victory bolstered Valladolid’s fight to stay in LaLiga and lifted them to 17th place, pushing them out of the relegation zone. The club, owned by former Real Madrid and Brazil forward Ronaldo, now faces upcoming matches against Almeria and Getafe, both of whom are also in a battle to avoid relegation, in their final two games of the season.
Following Barcelona’s recent clinching of their 27th LaLiga title, they faced an early setback against Valladolid when defender Andreas Christensen inadvertently scored an own goal in the second minute while attempting to clear a cross.
Shortly after, Valladolid was awarded a penalty due to Eric Garcia’s tackle on Gonzalo Plata. Cyle Larin confidently converted from the spot to give Valladolid a 2-0 lead. In the 73rd minute, Plata extended the lead to 3-0, with the goal being confirmed after a VAR review for a possible offside infringement.
Even though Barcelona had already secured the LaLiga title, Raphinha expressed his disappointment with his team’s performance and emphasized the need for a higher level of play in the remaining matches of the season. Raphinha stated, “This kind of performance cannot happen, and it’s not to diminish Valladolid’s accomplishment. We were lacking in several areas, particularly character. We must make changes because there are still two games remaining. We have a responsibility to uphold the club’s reputation in these matches and elevate our performance.”
In the closing stages of the match, Robert Lewandowski was able to score a consolation goal for Barcelona, reducing the deficit six minutes before the final whistle. This goal took his season’s tally to 23, solidifying his position as LaLiga’s top scorer. Manager Xavi Hernandez acknowledged the challenge of maintaining high motivation levels at this stage of a long season. On Tuesday, Real Sociedad, currently in fourth place, secured a 1-0 victory over Almeria. The Basque side has a chance to secure a spot in the Champions League for the next season if Villarreal, currently in fifth place, fail to earn points in their upcoming home match against Cadiz, which will be played on Wednesday.
Prior to the match, players from both teams displayed a banner with the message “racists out of football,” which is a slogan associated with a campaign against racism jointly launched by the Spanish league, Spanish federation, and the government’s top sports authority.