Barcelona star misses out against Real Valladolid due to injury

Barcelona are aiming to go seven points clear at the top of La Liga with a victory over Real Valladolid on Saturday, but they will have to do without a player that Hansi Flick would have almost certainly given minutes to at the Estadio Jose Zorrilla.

Flick is expected to make significant changes to the Barcelona line-up, given that they face off against Inter in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final tie on Tuesday. The likes of Pedri, Lamine Yamal and Raphinha are set to be rested, and Pablo Torre is one player that would have benefitted from this.

But as it turns out, he will not make the trip to Valladolid as Barcelona have confirmed that he is suffering with discomfort.

“First team player Pablo Torre has some discomfort in his left knee. His return to the team will be decided based on his progress.”

Torre has had a difficult season in terms of accumulating minutes. He did not play at all during the month of April, but he was in with a very good chance of being involved against Valladolid, so there is bound to be frustration on his part.

There is also no Jules Kounde for Barcelona, as he suffered a hamstring injury in the 3-3 draw against Inter on Wednesday. He has been replaced by 18-year-old Landry Farre in the matchday squad, while Torre’s successor is Dani Rodriguez, who made his senior debut in the Copa del Rey earlier in the season.

Torre’s injury is an opportunity for someone like Rodriguez to make an impact. Barcelona will feel that they have more than enough quality to see off already-relegated Valladolid even with significant changes, although there is a risk with this as this is a must-win match considering their La Liga title battle with Real Madrid, whom they face in the final El Clasico meeting of the season next weekend.