Real Valladolid 0-1 Barcelona - Match Report
Barcelona close the gap again with Real Madrid with a gritty 1-0 win over Valladolid
Real Valladolid Vs Barcelona - Live Stream
Barcelona will keep Real Madrid waiting for the coronation that is surely coming their way after Arturo Vidal's strike secured a 1-0 win at Real Valladolid.
The gap at the top of LaLiga is down to a single point, but Madrid can go four clear with two rounds of games remaining when they face Granada in their game in hand on Monday.
Lionel Messi provided the killer pass that gave Vidal the chance to strike the 15th-minute goal that sank Valladolid, a 20th assist of the league season for the Argentinian.
Had Barcelona failed to win Saturday's game at Estadio Jose Zorrilla, Madrid would have had the opportunity at Granada to clinch the title with two games to spare. Now it cannot come until Thursday at the earliest.
Worryingly for Barcelona, they came into this game with just three wins from their last nine away games in LaLiga, but nerves were soon calmed by Vidal's fine finish.
The Chilean midfielder received a lovely dink through from Messi and quickly got away a shot low across goal, his strike going in off the left post.
Messi's assist made him the first player to reach the 20 mark in a single campaign in the Spanish top flight since Xavi in Barcelona's 2008-09 treble-winning year.
Taking into account his 22 goals this term too, Messi can hardly be blamed for Barcelona missing out on the title.
Antoine Griezmann, however, chosen ahead of Luis Suarez for this game, continues to flatter to deceive.
He squandered an early half-chance before missing a sitter four minutes after Barcelona's breakthrough, getting his feet in a pitiable tangle when Nelson Semedo's skidding low cross from the right reached him eight yards from goal.
Full-back Semedo had a thumping shot saved by Jordi Masip before Barcelona were thankful for Kike Perez stumbling after getting in behind their defence as the hosts sought an equaliser.
Suarez unsurprisingly replaced Griezmann for the second half, with coach Quique Setien looking for more from a Messi sidekick than the Frenchman had been able to provide.
Perez, Javi Sanchez and Enes Unal all had chances for Valladolid but could not make them count, with Marc-Andre ter Stegen kept busy, while Messi saw a free-kick tipped over by Masip, the king of the assists always a threat.
Match Report
Goals
Goal! Messi supplies the assist and Vidal supplies a drilled shot that hits off the post and rolls into the net! Barca take the lead!
Live Updates
Preamble
Warm up time!
Now for Valladolid! Sergio is going for a 4-5-1 formation tonight! Sergi leads the line whilst keeper Jordi Masip will play against his former side!
Team news! No Luis Suarez, he's on the bench alongside Ivan Rakotic, Riqui Puig gets the nod in midfield. Looks like it's going to be a 4-4-2 formation!
Barcelona have arrived! At the moment the Catalans are four points behind Real Madrid, a win will keep the pressure on!
So here we go! Huge fan of the José Zorrilla Stadium!
Good evening! Welcome to the LIVE STREAM for Valladolid Vs Barca. After Real Madrid winning last night, the equation is simple for Quique Setien. A win will only do to chase down leaders Real Madrid. Join me for the build-up, team news and the goals as they go in!