FCBARCELONA.CAT

06.11.2008 11:05

Valladolid, a wolf in sheep’s clothing

David Puig

Although the stats favour Barça, Valladolid know what it is like to collect points at the Camp Nou in the worst of circumstances. In the last ten meetings they have drawn three and won one.

Valladolid have yet to collect any points on the road this season, and historically at the Camp Nou they have just two wins and six draws from 28 attempts. That doesn’t bode well for the side managed by José Luis Mendilibar, but a closer look at Valladolid reveals that Barcelona might find them a hard nut to crack.

Close games

Three of the four defeats Valladolid have suffered away from home have been by just one goal. They lost their opening game 1-0 to Espanyol at Montjuïc and their last away match at Getafe ended the same. Against Malaga in game five they lost 2-1, while they have not had any worse result than the 2-0 they suffered at San Mamés against Athletic Club. Oddly enough, although they have the worst away record in the league, they have only conceded six goals on the road, which is a more than respectable defensive record.

Last win at the Camp Nou (1-2)

Valladolid have never found it easy to collect points away to Barça, having lost 20 of the 28 games played, but the last ten encounters have produced some fine performances from the Castilian side – one win and three draws.

Their last win at the Camp Nou was in the 1997/98 season, when they were managed by Sergio Kresic (now at Numancia), and beat Louis Van Gaal’s side 2-1. One of the goalscorers that day was former Barça man and present-day member of the coaching staff Eusebio Sacristán, with Peternac grabbing the other for Valladolid.

The circumstances that day were fairly similar to those we have now. It was game ten, and Barça were top of the league while Valladolid were in the relegation spots having lost three and won just one away. The defeat was just a minor slip for Barça, for they eventually ran away with the title with a nine-point lead over second placed Bilbao.

Two draws in a row

Valladolid managed two consecutive draws at the Camp Nou in 2002/03 (1-1) and 2003/04 (0-0). The goals in the former match were both own goals, one by Torres Gómez and one by Bonano. Barça were coached by Antic at the time and were ninth in the league, with Valladolid eleventh. That season the Catalans had to be content with qualification for the UEFA Cup, while the ‘Pucelanos’ managed by Pep Moré, managed to avoid relegation without too much trouble.

The next season had Rijkaard on the bench for Barça for Valladolid’s goalless draw in game 13. Valladolid, under Fernando Vázquez, were comfortably poised in eighth, but were about to start a freefall that eventually saw them drop down to the second division.