After a dramatic but draining draw with European rivals Inter on Wednesday night, Barcelona return to domestic action this weekend when they take on Real Valladolid on Saturday evening. Victory is imperative for La Liga's leaders, who are starting to feel the effects of playing nearly every four days since the start of the season, as they look to maintain their four-point lead over second-placed Real Madrid going into a crucial Clasico at Montjuic on May 11.
However, Barcelona really couldn't have picked a better team to play in the middle of an already-epic Champions League semi-final tie with Inter. Real Valladolid aren't just bad; they're historically bad, having been relegated from the Spanish top flight with a record-breaking five rounds remaining. They're also a club in complete crisis. Indeed, things are going so badly on the field because the situation is so dire off it.
It wasn't meant to be like this, of course, not with a footballing icon for a president. Ronaldo promised to have Valladolid fighting for Champions League qualification by now; instead, they're once again heading back to the second division. Consequently, the calls for the Brazilian to "go home" have only intensified the longer the season has gone on and another mass protest is expected at the Jose Zorrilla on Saturday.
So, how did it come to this? How did one of the game's most beloved characters become such a figure of hate at Valladolid? GOAL explains all below...