Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the La Liga match.
Real Valladolid come into this fixture already relegated, and it’s hard to see them offering any serious resistance to Barcelona, especially given the 60-point gulf separating the sides in the table.
Real Valladolid
Thursday’s 5:1 thumping at the hands of Real Betis marked a seventh consecutive defeat for Real Valladolid, who have taken just one point from their last 14 league matches since mid-January. Their season has been a defensive disaster: they own both the worst xGA (68.52) and the worst actual record (81 goals conceded in 33 games). At home, things haven’t been any better, with five losses in their last six matches at the José Zorrilla.
Barcelona
Barcelona, meanwhile, are juggling domestic dominance with a thrilling Champions League run. The 3:3 draw against Inter Milan in their semi-final first leg was a spectacle, but it also means rotation is likely this weekend ahead of the decisive return leg. That said, the league title is still up for grabs, and with El Clásico looming, Barcelona will want to keep their lead over Real Madrid intact. Even without the injured Robert Lewandowski, their attack continues to flourish — they lead La Liga with 89 goals, a full 23 more than the next-best side. Ferran Torres has filled the striker void admirably, netting three times in his last four appearances.
Real Valladolid vs Barcelona Prediction
Earlier this season, Barcelona battered Real Valladolid (7:0) at Camp Nou. Another one-sided scoreline could be on the cards, especially with the home side having long since lost their fight.
