Five key stats from Barcelona 1-0 Real Valladolid

In what was far from the prettiest of the display, Barcelona got the job done against Real Valladolid in a crucial affair. It was a must-win game for Barça after Atletico Madrid dropped points against Sevilla courtesy of Marcos Acuna, and the team’s resilience eventually paid off owing to a last-minute goal from Ousmane Dembele.

While the game did not have an awful lot to show for it, Barça Universal brings to you the five stats that dominated the tense 90-minute affair on the night against Real Valladolid.

Defence

Frenkie de Jong started the game in the heart of the defence, putting on a flawless defensive display. He did, however, move on to the midfield in the middle of the game, elevating the team along with it. Where will he be deployed for the El Clasico, though?

Infographic: Frenkie De Jong's stats vs Valladolid.

– 93/98 passes completed
– 5 duels won
– 4 recoveries pic.twitter.com/lPFq4yImbO

— Barça Universal (@BarcaUniversal) April 5, 2021

Attack

Starting with the man of the hour, Ousmane Dembele. The Frenchman put up a horror performance for 90 minutes, misplacing passes and hitting balls on the moon, but came up clutch in the dying minutes, securing all three points for the Catalan giants.

Dembélé has scored 3 goals in his last 4 games as a starter, the same as in his previous 21 league games as a starter.

— @carrusel pic.twitter.com/YacFMcjd6F

— Barça Universal (@BarcaUniversal) April 5, 2021

Dembele’s winner was not only absolutely clutch, but it was the first time in a while someone had scored a 90th minute winning goal for Barcelona after more than an hour of a goal-less display. To put it in numbers, it has been nearly seven years since the Camp Nou witnessed the occasion.

Ousmane Dembélé has scored the first 1-0 winning goal in 90' for Barcelona at home in La Liga this century; the first one since Sergio Busquets at Mestalla in November 2014.

— @OptaJose

— Barça Universal (@BarcaUniversal) April 5, 2021

Barcelona came scoring on multiple occasions on the night, denied by frankly, a Man of the Match display from Jordi Masip. The Spaniard was brought into action after a shot from Pedri glazed on target, which eventually hit the post.

Barcelona have hit the woodwork 29 times, the most in Europe's top 5 leagues. Unlucky. pic.twitter.com/2L1Yo5Y1QU

— Barça Universal (@BarcaUniversal) April 5, 2021

Finishing it off with the captain and legendary Lionel Messi. The Argentine was far from his best on the night, and barely influenced the game like he is capable of. He created five chances on the night, a stat playmakers around the world would love to claim as their own, which goes to show the standard Leo has set for himself.

This was the first league game that Messi didn't score nor assist since December. Wild. pic.twitter.com/m4ym0beU02

— Barça Universal (@BarcaUniversal) April 5, 2021