Barcelona Aims for Flawless Finish Against Pursuing Valencia

Following their recent triumph in La Liga, where they clinched the title ahead of schedule, FC Barcelona aims to conclude their impressive domestic season on a positive note with an away match against Valencia CF at Mestalla on Saturday, May 23, 2026, as announced via Barcelona’s official x handle.

The club has already secured the championship, finishing the season with 94 points and establishing a significant 11-point lead over Real Madrid, who are in second place. Their championship was confirmed after a decisive win in El Clásico, and they have also captured the Spanish Super Cup this season. Head coach Hansi Flick recently extended his contract with FC Barcelona until June 30, 2028.

Even with the title already secured, Barcelona is driven to perform well after their recent loss to Deportivo Alavés. The team’s remarkable consistency has been pivotal this season, highlighted by a flawless home record and the best away performance in the league.

On the other hand, Valencia has significant goals still in play.

Under the guidance of Carlos Corberán, Valencia has showcased notable improvement, currently sitting ninth in the league as they push for a European qualification spot. A thrilling 4–3 victory over Real Sociedad has kept their hopes of a seventh-place finish alive, which would secure them a chance to compete in next season’s Conference League playoffs.

Historically, Barcelona has had the upper hand.

Barcelona has dominated their recent encounters, securing a 6–0 league win earlier this season and a 5–0 Copa del Rey victory at Mestalla. In their last three matches, Valencia has conceded 18 goals to Barcelona and has not won against them since 2020.

This match presents an opportunity for Barcelona to wrap up their title-winning campaign with a strong showing. For Valencia, it serves as a vital chance to extend their season and aim for European competition.

Team News

Valencia will be without Eray Comert (suspended) and Mouctar Diakhaby (muscle issue) for Saturday’s match, with further evaluations required for other squad members.

Lucas Beltran (knee), Jose Copete (ankle), Dimitri Foulquier (knee), Jose Gaya (muscle), and Renzo Saravia (muscle) are currently in doubt for the game against Barcelona.

Barcelona, on their part, will miss Lamine Yamal (hamstring) and Fermin Lopez (foot) for the encounter, though they have received positive news regarding several players ahead of the match.

Marcus Rashford (knock), Frenkie de Jong (illness), and Ferran Torres (muscle) are all back in training and may all feature, potentially starting the match.

Flick is expected to make several modifications to the lineup that faced Real Betis, with Ronald Araujo, Pau Cubarsi, and Alejandro Balde likely to be included in the starting XI.

Robert Lewandowski is hoping to feature in what could be his final game for Barcelona, boasting an impressive record against Valencia with nine goals in six matches against the club.

Possible Lineups

Valencia possible starting lineup:

Dimitrievski; Rendall, Tarrega, Nunez, Vazquez; Rioja, Ugrinic, Rodriguez, Ramazani; Guerra, Duro

Barcelona possible starting lineup:

J Garcia; Araujo, Cubarsi, E Garcia, Balde; Gavi, De Jong, Pedri; Raphinha, F Torres, Rashford

How to watch:

Predictions

Softfootball predicts Valencia 1-3 Barcelona

While predicting the outcome of this match is challenging, Valencia securing a point would not be surprising. Nonetheless, expectations lean towards Barcelona finishing their title-winning season with a victory.