Preview: Valencia vs Barcelona - prediction, team news, lineups

Champions Barcelona will be bidding to end their 2025-26 La Liga campaign on a positive note when they head to Mestalla on Saturday night to tackle Valencia.

Barcelona won this season's league title with three games to spare, while Valencia are ninth in the La Liga table, two points behind seventh-placed Getafe in the battle for a European finish.

Match preview

Valencia have won three of their last five La Liga matches, including a 4-3 success over Real Sociedad last time out, which has left them in the hunt for Europe ahead of the final gameweek.

Indeed, Los Che are ninth in the division, two points behind seventh-placed Getafe, with that position securing qualification for next season's Conference League playoffs.

Valencia finished 12th in Spain's top flight last term, and there has been progress this term, although they are only three points above Alaves in 14th.

Earlier this season, Carlos Corberan's side lost 6-0 to Barcelona, while their last meeting at Mestalla, which came in the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey, finished 5-0 to Barcelona in February 2025.

Valencia have actually conceded 18 times in their last three matches with Barcelona, while they have not managed to overcome the Catalan outfit since a 2-0 success in January 2020.

Barcelona's unbeaten run against Valencia now stands at 12 matches in all competitions, while they have only lost once to Los Che in the league since April 2016.

Hansi Flick's side will enter this match off the back of a 3-1 win over Real Betis, with the result moving them onto 94 points for the campaign, 11 points clear of second-placed Real Madrid.

Barcelona won the title with a 2-0 success over Real Madrid in El Clasico on April 10, and they have since been beaten on the road by Alaves, so a defeat here would make it back-to-back away losses at the end of the 2025-26 campaign.

The Catalan outfit incredibly managed to win all 19 of their home league matches this season, while they also have the best away record in the division this term, claiming 37 points from 18 games.

Barcelona also won the Spanish Super Cup earlier this year, so Flick has delivered two more trophies this season, and it is shaping up to be a very busy summer transfer for the club, with new signings needed if they are to be serious challengers for the Champions League next term.

Valencia La Liga form:

DWLWDW

Barcelona La Liga form:

WWWWLW

Team News

Valencia will certainly be missing Eray Comert (suspended) and Mouctar Diakhaby (muscle) on Saturday, while checks need to be made on a number of other players.

Lucas Beltran (knee), Jose Copete (ankle), Dimitri Foulquier (knee), Jose Gaya (muscle) and Renzo Saravia (muscle) are all viewed as doubts for Los Che against Barcelona.

Javi Guerra scored a brace against Real Sociedad last time out, and the Spaniard is again set to feature in the final third of the field alongside Hugo Duro.

Barcelona, meanwhile, will be missing Lamine Yamal (hamstring) and Fermin Lopez (foot) for the clash, but the Catalan outfit have received a triple boost ahead of the game.

Indeed, Marcus Rashford (knock), Frenkie de Jong (illness) and Ferran Torres (muscle) are all back in training, with the trio set to be involved, potentially all from the first whistle.

Flick will make a number of changes from the side that started against Real Betis, with Ronald Araujo, Pau Cubarsi and Alejandro Balde potentially also featuring in the first XI.

Robert Lewandowski will hope to be involved in what will be his Barcelona farewell, and the striker has an excellent record against Valencia, netting nine times in six matches vs. Los Che.

Valencia possible starting lineup:

Dimitrievski; Rendall, Tarrega, Nunez, Vazquez; Rioja, Ugrinic, Rodriguez, Ramazani; Guerra, Duro

Barcelona possible starting lineup:

J Garcia; Araujo, Cubarsi, E Garcia, Balde; Gavi, De Jong, Pedri; Raphinha, F Torres, Rashford

We say: Valencia 1-2 Barcelona

This is a tough match to predict, and it would not be a surprise to see Valencia secure a share of the spoils. However, we are expecting Barcelona to end their title-winning season with a win.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

Vote in the 2025-26 Sports Mole Readers' Awards!

Cast your votes for the 2025-26 Sports Mole Reader Awards' below - pick your Premier League player of the season, worst signing of the season, European player of the season and more.

Voting will be open until 11pm on Sunday, May 24, and the winners will be announced on Monday, May 25!