Fresh off learning their road to the Champions League knockout stage will be a difficult one, Barcelona take the field hoping to further improve their La Liga form as they host newly-promoted Real Valladolid at the Camp Nou on Sunday.
Barcelona were drawn into the "Group of Death" in the 2022/23 Champions League alongside Bayern Munich and Inter Milan. The Blaugrana, therefore, will look to improve form quickly before the group stage begins in early September.
The Catalan club was held to a scoreless draw in the season's opening match before improving marginally in the subsequent 4-1 win over Real Sociedad. The first half against La Real served to further highlight Barcelona's deficiencies, but the introduction of Ansu Fati early in the second-half proved vital to a turnaround.
Valladolid were blasted by Villarreal 3-0 in their first fixture back in the Spanish top-flight, but they managed a turnaround with a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Sevilla in Matchweek 2. The club is owned by former Brazilian international Ronaldo, who purchased a 51 per cent stake in the club in 2018.
LIVE BLOG: Follow the action live with updates, commentary, and highlights as Barcelona host Real Valladolid
How to watch Barcelona vs. Real Valladolid
| UK | USA | Canada | Australia | |
| Date | Sun, Aug. 28 | Sun, Aug. 28 | Sun, Aug. 28 | Mon, Aug. 29 |
| Time | 18:30 BST | 13:30 ET | 13:30 ET | 03:30 AEST |
| TV channel | Premier Sports 1, LaLigaTV | — | TSN4 | — |
| Streaming | Premier Player HD | ESPN+ | TSN.com, TSN app | Optus Sport |
UK: Sunday's match between Barcelona and Real Valladolid from Camp Nou will be broadcast in the United Kingdom on Premier Sports 1 and LaLigaTV, with streaming available on Premier Player HD.
USA: La Liga matches all season long can be seen in the United States exclusively on ESPN's subscription-based streaming service ESPN+.
Canada: La Liga matches can be seen in Canada all season long on TSN, with this particular match available on TSN4, as well as streaming on TSN.com and the TSN app.
Australia: Australia's sole broadcaster for La Liga is Optus Sport, who also carries the Premier League after signing a new deal with the English top flight through 2028.
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Barcelona vs. Real Valladolid projected lineups & team news
Having seen Samuel Umtiti leave on loan for Italian side Lecce, Barca were able at last to complete the registration of defender Jules Kounde. The defender will now make his debut this weekend, replacing Andreas Christensen who is ill.
The introduction of young winger Ansu Fati was critical to the 4-1 victory over Real Sociedad last weekend, and it will be interesting to see if Barcelona manager Xavi will give him a chance to start. Ferran Torres, the man he replaced off the bench, has been ineffective so far. Xavi has a weekly decision to make between right-sided wingers Raphinha and Ousmane Dembele, although this time he gives both a start, with one to play on the left.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Frenkie de Jong, both of whom are linked with moves to other clubs this summer, don't feature from the start, with Robert Lewandowski leading the line and Sergio Busquets back from suspension. Sergino Dest is another who could depart after being left out of the squad for the third straight league match.
Young left-back Alex Balde played very well against Real Sociedad, starting over Jordi Alba, and could be given another opportunity to be a difference-maker. Eric Garcia and Andreas Christensen have been Xavi's preferred center-back pairing thus far, preferred over longtime Barcelona veteran Gerard Pique.
MORE: Barcelona drawn in Champions League Group of Death alongside Bayern, Inter
🔙 Some years ago 🆚 Valladolid
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) August 28, 2022
Xavi scored his first LaLiga goal for Barça ⚽️ pic.twitter.com/eNum86Hedg
Barcelona starting lineup (4-3-3): Ter Stegen (GK) — Balde, Garcia, Kounde, Araujo — Gavi, Busquets, Pedri — Dembele, Lewandowski, Raphinha.
It's possible that Real Valladolid manager Pacheta makes a change in goal. Starter Sergio Asenjo made a massive error late last weekend allowing Sevilla to level the score at 1-1 and earn a draw. Asenjo, acquired this summer from Villarreal after he lost his place there, could be replaced by long-time Valladolid goalkeeper Jordi Masip who started through last season's promotion campaign and has been with the club since a move from Barcelona in 2017.
Elsewhere, centre-back Jawad El Yamiq is suspended for the match after receiving a red card in last weekend's game. He was sent off from the bench after already having been substituted off, red carded alongside Sevilla defender Marcos Acuna, who had also already been withdrawn.
Striker Sergi Guardiola, back from his loan last year at Rayo Vallecano, is yet to get off the mark this season. Former Sevilla and Swansea midfielder Roque Mesa is the club's captain.
Real Valladolid projected starting lineup (4-3-3): Masip (GK) — Escudero, J. Fernandez, J. Sanchez, L. Perez — Aguado, Mesa, K. Perez — Anuar, Guardiola, I. Sanchez.
MORE: Latest Barcelona transfer news for summer 2022 window
Real Valladolid betting pick & prediction
Odds via DraftKings (USA), Sports Interaction (Canada), & SkyBet (UK).
Like La Real, Valladolid could give Barcelona trouble with a tenacious showing in midfield, but it likely won't last.
The Catalan side are too strong and too talented to be held down for long, and the options for Xavi off the bench are unmatched in European play. Expect Barcelona to overwhelm the newly-promoted side in the second half.
Pick: Highest scoring half — 2nd half (-115 on DraftKings)
Prediction: Barcelona 3-0 Real Valladolid
| DraftKings | Sports Interaction |
SkyBet | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barcelona win | -700 | 1.14 | 1/8 |
| Draw | +700 | 7.42 | 15/2 |
| Real Valladolid win | +1200 | 15.00 | 18/1 |
| Both teams to score Y / N |
+120 / -150 | 2.01 / 1.63 | 11/10, 4/6 |
| Over / Under 3.5 goals |
-105 / -130 | 1.94 / 1.81 | 4/5, 10/11 |
| Barcelona -2.5 | +110 | 2.14 | — |
| Real Valladolid +2.5 | -150 | 1.69 | — |
