La Liga: Will things improve for Barcelona?

Barcelona will look to ride the wave of their thrilling Champions League victory over Benfica to arrest a dismal run of form in La Liga when they face an in-form Valencia side on Sunday. The Catalan giants have struggled in domestic competition, with just one win in their last eight league matches, leaving them seven points adrift of current leaders Real Madrid. Their underwhelming domestic form has been a source of frustration, but the euphoria from their midweek European triumph offers a glimmer of hope as they prepare to take on Valencia. On the other hand, Valencia head into the match with renewed confidence after an impressive 1-0 win against Real Sociedad at home last weekend. 

The victory was a significant boost for the team, which has looked steadily more competitive under new coach Carlos Corberan. The former Huddersfield Town boss has begun to instill his ideas into the squad, and Valencia's improved performances suggest they could be a tough challenge for Barcelona. With Barcelona eager to bounce back in La Liga and Valencia determined to build on their recent success, Sunday’s clash at the Olympic Stadium promises to be a high-stakes encounter. For Barcelona, it’s a chance to build momentum after their midweek European success, while Valencia will look to further solidify their position as a team on the rise.

Carlos Corberan, appointed Valencia manager on Christmas Day, has made a strong start, despite a narrow 2-1 loss to Real Madrid in his first match. His side showed resilience in that outing, coming close to taking points off the league leaders. Since then, Valencia has been on a positive trajectory, securing two cup victories in January to reach the quarter-finals, where they will face Barcelona. Their recent 1-0 win over Real Sociedad helped lift them off the bottom of the La Liga table, climbing to 19th, just four points from safety.

Barcelona, meanwhile, will face a tough challenge against Corberan's side, having struggled to maintain consistency in La Liga. Despite scoring five goals in three of their last four matches, Barcelona's only league outing in that stretch ended in a frustrating 1-1 draw at Getafe last Saturday. Valencia will take note of how Getafe's low-block defence stifled Barcelona and could look to implement a similar strategy. Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez acknowledged the need to address defensive lapses ahead of the Valencia clash, particularly after the team’s issues against Benfica. As both sides look to build momentum, Sunday’s match promises to be a crucial encounter for both clubs.

"It's important we speak about this, because the next opponents will look at this match and we have to make it better, and we will do that," said the German coach.