With the second leg of the Champions League semi-final against Inter Milan looming and a season-defining El Clasico on the horizon, Hansi Flick faces a delicate balancing act as Barcelona prepare to face bottom-of-the-table Valladolid.
The Catalans travel to the already-relegated side for what, on paper, seems a straightforward La Liga fixture, but the timing and context surrounding it raise serious questions about team selection.
Valladolid may be mathematically out of the top flight, but this fixture has major implications for Barça, not because of the opponent, but because of what follows.
The next La Liga match is none other than the decisive clash with Real Madrid at Montjuïc on May 11 — a fixture that could swing the title race.