
The League
7:00 p.mMay 23, 2026
Regular season – 38
Mestalla Stadium
Referee: Adrian Cordero Vega, Spain


Valencia


Barcelona
Turn off the spoiler to see match stats
1.48
Expected Goals (xG)
1.36
-0.57
Prevented goals
-0.57
Passing by
148 (74%)
Accurate passes
603 (90%)
Turn off the spoiler to see the events of the match
1
G
He stole Dimitrievski
6.9
21
d
Jesus Vazquez
6.6
18
d
ashes
6.5
d
César Tárrega (C)
d
Unai Núñez
16
m
Diego Lopez
7.2
m
Guido RodrÃguez
90+7′
23
m
Filip Ugrinić
6.9
9
F
Hugo Duro
6.3
F
Javier Guerra
66′
Substitutes
7
F
Arnaut Danjuma
19
F
Dani Raba
F
Umar Sadiq
27
F
David Otorbi
22
m
Baptiste Santamaria
m
André Almeida
29
m
Lucas Nunez
26
d
Rubén Iranzo
44
d
ruby
d
Thierry Correia
25
G
Julen Agirrezabala
F
Ramadan holidays
25
G
Wojciech Szczesny
5.9
3
d
Alexander Balde
6.2
18
d
Gerard Martin
7.3
4
d
Ronald Araújo (C)
8.7
24
d
Eric Garcia
7.3
6
m
Paul Gavi
6.7
m
Marc Bernal
14
m
Marcus Rashford
6.3
20
m
Dani Olmo
6.3
m
Ferran Torres
F
Robert Lewandowski
61′

The League Standings – First Division
Qualification/Relegation
- Promotion – Champions League (League phase)
- Promotion – Europa League (League phase)
- Promotion – Conference League (ranking)
- Relegation – LaLiga2
Valencia stunned Barcelona with a dominant 3-1 victory at the Mestalla Stadium, ending the league leaders’ hopes of a perfect end to the season.
Barcelona arrived in Valencia as the runaway leaders of the League with 94 points in 37 games. The visitors held a commanding position at the top of the table. Valencia, ninth with 46 points, faced a tough battle against the Spanish giants.
The first half was relatively balanced despite Barcelona’s superior possession. The visiting team controlled the ball with 76% of possession, but struggled to create clear openings. Valencia defended compactly and proved dangerous on the counterattack with their few opportunities.
Barcelona broke the deadlock in the 61st minute when Robert Lewandowski shot past the Valencia goalkeeper. The forward picked up a loose ball inside the box and converted with clinical precision. Lewandowski’s finish gave Barcelona the advantage they deserved based on their dominance.
Valencia’s response came quickly and decisively. Just five minutes later, in the 66th minute, Javier Guerra equalized for the home team. Guerra’s goal sparked a remarkable turnaround that would define the game.
The momentum shifted completely to Valencia. Luis Rioja put the hosts ahead in the 71st minute with a composed finish. Barcelona’s defense looked vulnerable as Valencia pushed forward with renewed confidence and intensity.
Barcelona struggled to regain control after falling behind. The visitors managed 11 shots in total, but only four were on target. Their passing accuracy remained high at 90%, but they were unable to break down Valencia’s organized defence.
Valencia’s statistics explained their dominance in the second half. They recorded a total of 19 shots with six on goal. Their expected goals (xG) of 1.48 were slightly better than Barcelona’s 1.36, reflecting the quality of the chances created.
Guido RodrÃguez added a third goal for Valencia in the 90th minute, sealing an impressive win. The midfielder’s late strike ended any hope of a Barcelona comeback. RodrÃguez’s finish capped off an impressive performance from Valencia’s midfield and defence.
The final whistle confirmed one of the biggest upsets of the La Liga season. Barcelona’s 31-game unbeaten run in the league remained intact, but this defeat ended their quest for a flawless campaign. Valencia’s 3-1 scoreline represented a complete reversal of expectations.
The defeat leaves Barcelona with 94 points in 37 games, still leading the League by a significant margin. Valencia’s impressive performance lifted them to 46 points and demonstrated their ability to compete with the elite. This result showed that even the strongest teams face challenges on any given day.
Barcelona will look to bounce back in their remaining games as they chase the title. Valencia, for its part, will look to take advantage of this confidence-boosting victory and move up the table. The result serves as a reminder that form and possession alone do not guarantee success in professional football.

