Barcelona travelled to Real Valladolid this evening intent on getting back to winning ways after dropping two points to Valencia this past weekend.
The Blaugrana sit sixth after being leap-frogged by Sevilla earlier this evening and will be hoping to regain fifth spot courtesy of a strong away performance and three points.
Valladolid are currently in the relegation zone, sitting in 18th. A victory for them against Barcelona, however, could see them climb to as high as tenth given the remarkably congested nature of the division this season.
Ronald Koeman appeared to have gone for a new shape, with three centre-backs named in the starting XI in Ronald Araujo, Oscar Mingueza and Clement Lenglet.
It worked. Barcelona took the lead inside the first half-hour, opening the scoring in the 22nd minute through centre-back Lenglet. Lionel Messi dropped a perfect ball into the area for him to meet with his head and send the Blaugrana one up.
The French defender paid tribute to Moussa Wague with his celebration. Wague is a Barcelona defender who shattered his knee in a potentially career-ending injury on loan at PAOK.
Messi was again pivotal for their second goal. This time he played a cute ball to create space for Sergino Dest down the right flank, who centred for Martin Braithwaite to finish smartly.
GOL! Martin Braithwaite 35'
Valladolid 0-2 Barcelona | #ValladolidBarçapic.twitter.com/FdCTiB1hT9
— noobfcb (@noob_fcb) December 22, 2020
