On Sunday, at 9:00 PM, the penultimate match of matchday 21 between Barça and Valencia will begin. The game will be held at Lluís Companys, a clash marked by the locals’ epic victory in the Champions League. Meanwhile, Valencia comes with confidence after the agonizing triumph in the last league match.
The referee for the match will be César Soto Grado, joined in the VAR by Del Cerro Grande. It will be the third time this season he officiates for the blaugranasthe other two were in Vallecas (1-2) and in Balaídos (2-2). In general, both teams have lost more matches than they have won with Soto Grande (5 victories in 12 matches and 6 out of 14 for the “chés”).
How Barça is Coming
The blaugranas, at least in Europe, are proving to be one of the strongest and most competitive teams in the world. The comeback against Benfica is a good proof of this, they were losing 4-2 in the 78th minute and ended up winning with a goal in the 96th minute. However, in the League, they are not performing at the same level, as they haven’t won at home since the classic (November 3).
The German coach announced in a press conference that he plans to make changes, as they need “fresh legs” for the match. One of the beneficiaries could be Pau Víctor, as he was asked about his situation and assured that “he will have his opportunities.” Regarding Valencia, he said that “they have improved in defense” and that “it will be a difficult match.”
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How Valencia is Coming
The Valencian team is not going through its best moment; in fact, they have been “flirting” with relegation for several years now. The noise caused around the president and owner, Peter Lim, doesn’t help create a calm environment. Their new coach, Carlos Corberán, has won 3 of the first 5 matches he has managed for the “chés.”
The Valencian coach will have a very sensitive absence for this match, as Mosquera will not be able to play due to suspension (accumulation of yellow cards). Enzo Barrenechea will also be absent, as he has been gaining more prominence in recent months of competition. In the pre-match press conference, he was optimistic about the possibility of strengthening the team in this winter market.
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-Regarding the match, he commented that the opponent they will face “has many weapons” and is “an aggressive team that reduces spaces significantly.” He couldn’t clarify whether he will finally be able to count on Sadiq, the only winter signing so far, who is suffering from knee discomfort. He was also asked about his assessment of his first month and took the opportunity to praise his staff and the “greatness of the fans.”
Key Points of the Match
Changes: rotations, with such a tight schedule, are mandatory if you want to reach the final stages of competitions with the necessary strength. Hence, Flick has warned that there will be changes for this match because he needs the team to be at 100% to face a tough Valencia. However, whenever there have been changes, the team has suffered, so this match must change this dynamic.
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Energy: one of the things that has been lacking in these recent “slips” has been the energy used in these matches, perhaps due to a complicated schedule. This doesn’t mean the team hasn’t tried, but it is true that there have been moments of play where there hasn’t been that intensity. For this match, winning duels is essential if you want to get the 3 points, especially against teams that are fighting to remain in the top category of Spanish Football.
Shutting down the faucet: the blaugranas are struggling not to concede any goals; in fact, the last time this happened was in the Copa del Rey against a much inferior opponent. This “instability” in the goal doesn’t help, as Flick doesn’t ensure who his starter is and, therefore, who he gives more confidence to. The defensive fragility is also to blame, especially because they are not managing to catch their opponents offside, and there are several moments of distraction that lead to goals.
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