Champion Barcelona beaten 3-1 by Valladolid

The win moved Valladolid up one place to 17th and out of the relegation zone, before the club owned by former Real Madrid and Brazil forward Ronaldo faces Almeria and Getafe.

Barcelona’s Eric Garcia goes for a header during the Spanish La Lig match against Valladolid at the Jose Zorrilla stadium in Valladolid on May 23, 2023. 

Relegation-threatened Real Valladolid snatched a 3-1 win at home against champion Barcelona on Tuesday as the host secured a crucial victory in its battle to remain in La Liga.

The win moved Valladolid up one place to 17th and out of the relegation zone, before the club owned by former Real Madrid and Brazil forward Ronaldo faces Almeria and Getafe, who is also battling to avoid the drop, in its remaining two games.

Barcelona, who sealed its 27th La Liga title earlier this month, fell behind when defender Andreas Christensen scored an own goal, heading past his own keeper in the second minute while trying to clear a cross into the box.

Valladolid was awarded a penalty for Eric Garcia’s tackle on Gonzalo Plata shortly after and Cyle Larin finished from the spot before Plata made it 3-0 in the 73rd minute, with the goal awarded after a VAR check for a potential offside.

Robert Lewandowski pulled one back for Barcelona six minutes from time as La Liga’s top scorer lifted his tally to 23 goals this season.

Earlier on Tuesday fourth-placed Real Sociedad beat Almeria 1-0 and the Basque side can secure a Champions League spot for next season on Wednesday if Villarreal, in fifth, drop points at home against Cadiz.