Real Valladolid 3-1 Barcelona: LaLiga champions suffer second defeat since winning the title

 La Liga Champions Barcelona were humbled by relegation haunted Valladolid as the club owned by Ronaldo Nazario took a huge step away from relegation with a 3-1 win.

He was in the directors’ box to see his team give their best performance of the season to climb out of the bottom three with two games left to play.

For Barcelona it was a difficult night with Marc Andre ter Stegen conceding two of the three goals in the first half.

The German keeper has been the hardest keeper to beat in Spain this season but has now let in six goals in his last three games.

He was replaced in the second half by Iñaki Peña as Xavi rang the changes. Raphinha made way later in the second period and took off his shirt to reveal a message on his vest in support of international team-mate Vinicius who suffered more racist abuse at the weekend.

Valladolid took the lead after just two minutes when Andreas Christensen headed a Darwin Machis cross past his own keeper. Things went from bad to worse for Barça when Eric Garcia brought down Gonzalo Plata and Kyle Larin scored from the penalty spot.

The Canadian international has scored eight goals since arriving in January. Jordi Masip made three fine saves in the first 45 minutes – the best coming from a Christensen header as the Dane tried to make amends for his own goal.

In the second period for long spells Valladolid looked more like scoring the next goal and both Larin and substitute Lucas Rosa had efforts come back off the frame of the goal.

Finally the third goal did come and it was a lightning counter-attack that brought it. Larin raced clear down the right and he centred for Plata to score his first goal of the season. 

He did not celebrate because the flag was up but on the near side Eric Garcia had been playing Valladolid onside so the goal was given.

Valladolid were home and dry now and when Barcelona finally scored it was only a consolation. Frenkie de Jong’s through ball sent Robert Lewandowski clear and although La Liga’s top scorer was sent wide by Masip he managed to score from the tightest of angles to make it 3-1.

Valladolid will now hope relegation rivals Getafe and Cadiz slip up on Wednesday night so that they go into the last two matches out of the bottom three. Playing this way Ronaldo’s club will surely survive.

For Barcelona the season is over. ‘We don’t have a clear objective anymore and that brings down the level a bit,’ said Xavi on the final whistle. ‘But we have to give a good account of ourselves in all games. 

We have lost two on the trot now and I just want us to win our last home game against Mallorca this weekend.’