Barcelona delivered one of their worst performances of the season just three days before the visit of Manchester City in the Champions League, going down 1-0 against a relegation-threatened team that had not won since January.
Under the lights of the Camp Nou on Wednesday it will presumably be a very different Barcelona, but on Saturday at Valladolid’s Jose Zorilla stadium it was more ‘messy’ than ‘Messi’ as Gerardo Martino’s disorientated side looked a shadow of their former selves.
Manchester City coach Manuel Pellegrini will have been buoyed by the below par performance but he will also feel more than ever that his team missed a golden opportunity at the Etihad Stadium.
Match-winner: Valladolid's Fausto Rossi celebrates after scoring against Barcelona
Match-winner: Valladolid's Fausto Rossi celebrates after scoring against Barcelona
Setback: Valladolid midfielder Rossi, right, celebrates after scoring as Barcelona's goalkeeper Victor Valdes, left, reacts to conceding
Not a good day at the office: Barcelona's Lionel Messi looks on during the defeat at Valladolid
With an aggressive performance, Valladolid out-muscled Barcelona, playing four attacking players pinning back the visitors' back four, and in particular targeting right back Dani Alves.
Valladolid stretched the visitors in the first half, got themselves in front, and then defended well against a Barca team playing with none of their usual attacking threat.
This was always going to be a test for Barcelona with a full house of 26,000 inside Valladolid’s tight stadium.
Frustrating afternoon: Barcelona's Messi saw his team lose to Valladolid
Battle-hardened: Barcelona's Pedro attempts to win the ball under pressure from midfielder Alvaro Rubio
Barca were without Andres Iniesta and had left Alexis Sanchez on the bench for a game that would see them go back to the top of the table if they could pick up all three points.
Barcelona gave away their first corner after just eight minutes but instead of conceding from it as they have eight times already this season in the league, they raced away on the counter attack and Lionel Messi force the first save from Valladolid goalkeeper Diego Marino.
The home side forced two more corners and moments after the second, Fausto Rossi scored for Valladolid when Barcelona failed to clear a loose ball in the area and the midfielder shot past Victor Valdes.
Pain of defeat: Neymar did not have his best game for Barcelona as Valladolid beat the champions
Surrounded: Valladolid forward Javi Guerra, right, attempts to get away from Barcelona duo Sergio Busquets, second left, and Brazilian defender Dani Alves
With 61 percent of possession, Barcelona had much more of the ball but there was none of the usual menace about their passing and they were reduced to shots from distance.
Messi's weak free-kick went straight into the arms of Marino and the Argentine then ran on to a Cesc Fabregas pass but shot again straight at the Valladolid goalkeeper. The Valladolid keeper then saved from Fabregas.
A borderline offside decision had meant a Pedro goal was ruled out. He had been the brightest for Barcelona with Neymar largely anonymous on the other wing in one of Barcelona's worst 45 minutes of the season.
Holding his hands up: Barcelona manager Gerardo Martino watched his side lose to Valladolid
Both Xavi Hernandez and Gerard Pique left the field arguing with match officials and with Valladolid's match-day delegate.
There was some suggestion that Xavi had complained about the state of the pitch with the home side having left the grass left long and surface unwatered.
But Barca's problems seemed to have far more to do with a flat performance devoid of urgency than an unfavourable playing surface.
Minimal impact: Valladolid midfielder Rossi, left, battles for the ball with Barcelona's Neymar, who had a poor game
No joy: Barcelona's Messi was unable to find a way of scoring in the match against Valladolid
They came out with greater verve in the second half with Alves playing far further forward as they tried to force Valladolid onto the back foot. Neymar had his first chance of the game but blazed over from the edge of the six-yard box.
Valladolid’s gameplan throughout had been to use the pace of Zakarya Bergdich down their left to attack Alves and, with the Brazilian now playing higher up the pitch there was more space to expose.
Barça continued to be frustrated and coach Martino threw on Alexis Sanchez to play up-front alongside Pedro and Neymar with Messi moved slightly deeper into more of a midfield position.
No way through: Valladolid defender Antonio Rukavina, left, battles for the ball with Barcelona's Adriano
Dejection: Barcelona's Adriano, left, Cristian Tello and midfielder Sergi Roberto walk off the pitch after losing to Valladolid
Valdet Rama came on for Valladolid to take over from Bergdich in ‘running at Alves’ duty and Barcelona made two more changes with Neymar replaced by Telmo and Pique withdrawn, as the visitors switched to a back three.
Rama it was who charged down the left beyond Mascherano before squaring to an other substitute Oscar, who should have settled it but somehow looped his shot over the bar from just inside the penalty box.
In the end it didn’t matter, as Valladolid saw out the remaining minutes for a famous win.
The shock victory leaves Real Madrid with the chance to go four points clear at the top when they play on Sunday against Levante and will also serve to make the optimists among Manchester City’s supporters believe they can still turn things around in the Champions League this week.
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