Hansi Flick’s Barcelona will look to maintain their perfect start to the season when they host 11th-placed Real Valladolid.
Barcelona might be going through several problems at this stage in terms of player fitness, injuries and difficulty in registering players but Hansi Flick is not letting all of that affect his team.
Even though Flick has had to start with an XI that has multiple teenagers, the Catalan giants have still won each of their first three league games and are eyeing a fourth win when they host Real Valladolid after the transfer deadline day.
Flick’s team have won each of their first three fixtures with a scoreline of 2-1. They started with a win over Valencia and followed it up with a win against Athletic Club before dominating the proceedings against Rayo Vallecano.
Given how dominant Barcelona were in their last outing and the fact that they have a lot of firepower in their ranks, Real Valladolid are going to have a tough time squaring up against one of the biggest teams in the league.
The visitors started the season with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Espanyol. But they suffered a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Real Madrid in their second outing of the season and could only secure a 0-0 draw against Leganes in their last outing. Despite dominating the ball and creating more chances, Valladolid could not score the all-important goal to win all three points last time out.
The game against Barcelona away from home will be a much more difficult outing than it was against Leganes. As a result, they will have to do much better to get something out of it. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could put to use.
Team News & Tactics
Barcelona
The Catalan giants have suffered a massive blow as teenager Marc Bernal has ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee and is expected to be out for the remainder of the season. He has joined Andreas Christensen, Ansu Fati, Ronald Araujo, Frenkie de Jong, Eric Garcia, and Gavi on the sidelines.
Hansi Flick has quite a few injuries to deal with, but he still has enough quality in his team to continue their winning streak. They will stick to the 4-2-3-1 formation, where Marc-Andre ter Stegen will be in goal. Jules Kounde and Alejandro Balde will feature as the full-backs for the team, while Pau Cubarsi and Iñigo Martínez will feature in the heart of the defence.
With Bernal out injured, Fermin Lopez could start in the double pivot alongside Pedri. They will look to shield the backline and control the tempo of the game.
Barcelona managed to register Dani Olmo just in time for their last time out, and he had an impressive cameo on the bench. The Spanish international is expected to start this one as their number 10. Lamine Yamal and Raphinha will continue on the flanks with star striker Hansi Flick leading the line.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): ter Stegen; Kounde, Cubarsi, Inigo Martinez, Balde; Fermin, Pedri; Yamal, Olmo, Raphinha; Lewandowski
Real Valladolid
Real Valladolid are expected to have a fully-fit squad for this fixture against Barcelona. They are expected to go ahead with the 4-5-1 formation, with Karl Hein in goal.
Luis Pérez Maqueda and Lucas Rosa will feature as the full-backs for the away team, while Javi Sánchez will pair up with Flavien Enzo Boyomo in central defence.
Amath Ndiaye Diedhiou and Raúl Moro will start out wide on the flanks. While they will prioritise pushing up the pitch and providing width to their attacks, they are going to have a lot of defensive duties against a team like Barcelona.
In the centre of the park, Kike Pérez will start alongside Eray Cömert and Selim Amallah. The trio will try and ensure that the Catalan giants do not end up dominating the ball too deep in their half. Mamadou Sylla will be the lone attacker up top for Real Valladolid against Barcelona.
Probable Lineup (4-5-1): Hein; Perez, Sanchez, Boyomo, Rosa; Ndiaye, Perez, Comert, Amallah, Moro; Sylla
Key Stats
- Barcelona have won four out of their last five matches against Real Valladolid.
- In the last outing between the two teams in May 2023, Real Valladolid managed to secure a 3-1 win over Barcelona.
- The Catalan giants have won their last two home games against Valladolid without conceding a goal.
- Hansi Flick’s team have made an exceptional start to the season with three wins in three outings.
- A win in their first outing was a dream start for the newly promoted Real Valladolid. But they have been winless in their last two outings and will be eager to return to winning ways.
Player to Watch
Dani Olmo
While registering him was becoming quite a task for the Catalan giants, they managed to get him into their team for their last outing, and Olmo ended up being the difference in the end. The 26-year-old came off the bench to score the winner against Rayo Vallecano and help his team complete a comeback win. Barcelona will hope he continues from where he left off this weekend against Real Valladolid.
Prediction
Barcelona 2-0 Real Valladolid
While it has been an impressive start from the newly promoted team, Real Valladolid, who have secured four points in their first three outings, they are going to find it quite difficult against a team like Barcelona.
Meanwhile, the Catalan giants have made a dream start to the new season. They have won each of their first three outings and given how they have been playing, it won’t be a surprise to see them win four in a row. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-0 win for Flick’s team.
