Barcelona have roared back to life in their La Liga clash away at Real Valladolid as the hosts threatened a huge shock.
Already relegated Real Valladolid stunned Hansi Flick’s visitors in the opening minutes as Ivan Sanchez’s deflected strike looped past the returning Marc Andre ter Stegen.
Ter Stegen’s start was one of a host of changes made by Flick with the German coach looking to rest some of his key players ahead of the midweek UEFA Champions League semi final second leg trip to Inter Milan.
His rotated forward line struggled to make an impact early on, with Pau Victor and Ansu Fati both denied, before Lamine Yamal was thrown on from the substitutes bench just before the break.
More changes landed at the interval and one of those crashed home the leveller on 54 minutes as Raphinha steered home his 16th league goal of the season.
Raphinha is CLUTCH man. pic.twitter.com/Wqc5kLvBcL
— (fan) Frank 🧠🇵🇹 (@AmorimEra_) May 3, 2025
⚽️ | GOOOOL DO RAPHINHA!!!
Who do you call when you’re losing? The most clutch player in the world this season, Raphinha! pic.twitter.com/3pORZHR84q
— Ginga Bonito 🇧🇷 (@GingaBonitoHub) May 3, 2025
That turned the tide of the contest immediately as Fermin Lopez seized his chance to put Barcelona 2-1 in front with a composed finish from the edge of the box.
🚨 BARCELONA HAVE TURNED IT AROUND! ✨
Fermín López scores and Barcelona are closer to becoming La Liga Champions. 📈@tekkersfootpic.twitter.com/o0CnZBBk5u
— Polymarket FC (@PolymarketFC) May 3, 2025
Fermín López finds the corner 🤌
Barcelona lead 2-1 against Real Valladolid thanks to a nice finish from the midfielder 🔵🔴
𝑃𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 @sbk | 18+ | 𝑃𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑒 𝐺𝑎𝑚𝑏𝑙𝑒 𝑅𝑒𝑠𝑝𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑏𝑙𝑦 pic.twitter.com/3kX33KiSVL
— Premier Sports (@PremSportsTV) May 3, 2025
Victory for Barcelona – if they hold on – would throw the title pressure right back on Real Madrid who take on Celta Vigo tomorrow.
Three points at full time would put Flick’s team seven points ahead of Carlo Ancelotti’s defending champions – albeit with an extra game played – as the Catalans chase down that trophy treble in the coming weeks.
Regardless of this weekend’s results, the title will be decided on May 11, as Real Madrid head to Barcelona for a crunch battle.
Ancelotti needs to win on the road in Catalonia, and hope that Flick slips up elsewhere in the run-in to stand any realistic chance of holding onto his league trophy ahead of his expected departure from the Spanish capital at the end of May.
Images via Twitter/X
