Barça pressures LaLiga: Key schedule change against Valladolid?

FC Barcelona sent a new letter to LaLiga requesting a change in the schedule for the match corresponding to matchday 34, against Real Valladolid. The league agreed to move the match from Sunday the 4th to Saturday the 3rd of May, because the Azulgrana team will play the second leg of the Champions League semi-finals against Inter Milan in Italy on Tuesday the 6th, at 9:00 PM.

However, Barça is asking for the match at the Estadio José Zorrilla to be played at 4:15 PM or 6:00 PM in order to have a longer period of rest before the trip to Milan. The 'culés', however, would have less than 72 hours of rest compared to the first leg against Inter in Montjuïc if the match time is brought forward.

The tie against the 'nerazzurri' will logically concentrate all the Azulgrana's interest after the Copa del Rey final, with the double-header against the Italians being the last step before a Champions League final that Barça has been resisting since 2015.

Barça awaits a response from LaLiga

Hansi Flick's team will begin the 'semi' tie on Wednesday the 30th, also at 9:00 PM at home. The Saturday's matchday in LaLiga starts with Villarreal-Osasuna (4:15 PM) and continues with Las Palmas-Valencia (6:00 PM), two matches that can easily be moved to the 9:00 PM slot.

In this regard, Flick harshly criticized LaLiga for the preparation of the calendar, assuring that the competition should take more care of the teams that represent it internationally. "We don't make excuses, but other countries protect the teams that play in Europe. Those who address this should know what's going on. They have no idea," he said before the Barça-Celta match.

Now, the club awaits a response from LaLiga to know whether or not the schedule of the match at the José Zorrilla will change. On the following matchday, the 35th, the 'culés' will host Real Madrid in Montjuïc (Sunday, May 11 at 4:15 PM).

LaLiga confirmed the schedule for the derby against Espanyol

While waiting to see what happens with the schedule of the Valladolid-Barça match, LaLiga confirmed this Monday the dates and times of matchday 36. Barça will visit Cornellà on Thursday, May 15 at 9:30 PM, four days after the Clásico in Montjuïc against Real Madrid.

In that matchday, the 'culés' could mathematically seal the title, this in case of maintaining the four-point advantage over Real Madrid until the match between the two and, in addition, winning the Clásico scheduled for Sunday the 11th.

After the Catalan derby, there will only be two matchdays left to play and Barça would have a 7-point advantage, unattainable for the 'Whites'. The Azulgrana team also has an advantage in the direct confrontation and the goal difference, two extra points compared to the 'Casa Blanca'.

As things stand, Barcelona only needs to know the date and time of the matches against Villarreal (home) and Athletic Club (away). Then, if they beat Inter Milan in the Champions League semi-finals, the 'culés' will close the season on May 31 in Munich, against Arsenal or PSG.