Barcelona vs Valencia

The stakes are high for Barcelona and Valencia as they go head-to-head in a must-win La Liga game at Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys.

Buoyed by a remarkable comeback in midweek Champions League action, where they turned a 4-1 deficit into a 5-4 victory at Benfica to lock down automatic last-16 qualification, Barcelona return to La Liga, seeking redemption for a gut-wrenching 1-1 draw at Getafe last weekend. Already nine points behind pacesetters Real Madrid, Hansi Flick’s charges can’t afford a slip-up here if they’re to stay in the title picture. However, they’ve won none of their last four league outings (D2, L2), not to mention a three-game losing home run toward the end of 2024. Therefore, ‘Los Blaugranas’ will be out to avoid going four consecutive top-flight home matches without winning for the first time since 2003 when they meet Valencia for their opening home game of 2025. 

With Valencia winning only two of their last 20 La Liga visits to Barcelona’s home venue (D5, L13), the visitors can’t look forward to this daunting road trip despite seeing off Real Sociedad 1-0 at home last weekend to extend their unbeaten streak in all competitions to four games (W3, D1). Despite that mini-revival, Valencia’s top-flight prospects still look bleak as they commence this round four points adrift of safety after winning a league-low three matches this season (D7, L10). That’s not the only ominous sign ahead of this matchday, considering they’re also one of only two teams in La Liga yet to win away from home in 2024/25 (D4, L6), largely thanks to their misfiring frontline. Indeed, the visitors have bagged a joint-league low five goals on the road this La Liga campaign.