Barcelona warned as shocking stat resurfaces before Saturday clash | OneFootball

Relegated, drained, and at the end of the rope, Real Valladolid hosts Barcelona this Saturday to Matchday 34 of La Liga in a match that, on paper, doesn't hold much promise. But that's exactly where the danger lies. The league leader plays in the middle of a Champions League semifinal, with a rotated squad and divided focus. On the other, a defeated opponent already, but who plays with the lightness of a team that has nothing else to lose. When the favorite is relaxed, the underdog feels it.

Flip between rotation and obligation

With the second leg against Internazionale next Tuesday in Milan, for the semifinal of the Champions League, coach Hansi Flick did not conceal that players will be rested. He himself guaranteed that the squad will be rotated and that the players' health comes above all else.

However, the coach has made it clear that La Liga is not off the radar: "It is the highest recognition possible for performing at the top level throughout the season." He knows that the national title is built precisely in games like this, when the opponent has no other ambition and the leader needs to show seriousness, all the more so since a win could virtually assure the trophy.

Without even speaking about the fact that Real Madrid, Barça's direct competitor, is hungry, waiting for a Barça stumble to reduce the gap. It must be said that the two are separated by four points in the ranking.

FC Barcelona training session, Wojciech Szczęsny and Ter Stegen | Fran Santiago/GettyImages

Ter Stegen returns after 223 days out

The German goalkeeper will face Valladolid after more than seven months out due to an injury in his right knee tendon. Flick didn't leave any doubt: "Marc will play tomorrow." The return of the captain to the Barça goalmouth is symbolic. Even though the match doesn't deliver a title, it's a new beginning for one of the squad's technical leaders. While Szczesny is given a rest, Ter Stegen returns to the field with the mission of maintaining the team's rhythm and the defense's confidence.

Valladolid falls but can cause issues

The team was thrashed 5-1 by Real Betis last Thursday and mathematically confirmed its relegation. It returns to the second division just one year after being promoted. A short, predictable, and poorly managed cycle. In spite of that, teams that are already behind have a tendency to play more freely. And that can be a problem for whoever thinks that the match will be a walk in the park.

Without pressure, Valladolid can breathe easy. That does not make them favorites, but neither can they be discounted.

Recent history favors Barça

Barcelona has triumphed in 16 of the 18 most recent games between both teams in the league. Both losses occurred in the José Zorrilla stadium, where this Saturday's encounter will take place. The last such defeat happened in May of last year.

In the opening round this term, Barça trounced Valladolid 7-0. It was one of the club's biggest wins of the season and also one of the worst defeats in the history of the home team. Still, the past does not win matches. Barcelona knows that if they show up distracted, they can be ambushed. Especially on a week when their minds are elsewhere.