Nigeria’s Umar Sadiq featured as Valencia produced the shock of the La Liga final day, coming from behind to dismantle champions Barcelona 3-1 at a raucous Mestalla though the result ultimately arrived too late for European qualification.
A famous night in Valencia’s football calendar unfolded on Saturday as the home side overturned a Robert Lewandowski opener to run out 3-1 winners against back-to-back La Liga champions Barcelona, as reported by FootballInNigeria.com.ng. Super Eagles striker Umar Sadiq entered the action from the bench in the 80th minute, replacing top scorer Hugo Duro, and played his part in a late surge that made the scoreline even more emphatic.
The first half was a competitive, largely even affair. Both sides created chances but neither could find a breakthrough, with Valencia’s Diego Lopez going closest before the break when Ronald Araujo produced a crucial block to deny him. Lewandowski, in what turned out to be his farewell appearance for Barcelona, rattled the woodwork with a header before the interval.
Lewandowski Opens, Valencia Hit Back Twice in Five Minutes
Barcelona went ahead six minutes past the hour when Lewandowski tucked home to mark his final game for the Catalans with a goal. It looked as though Valencia’s hopes of making the evening count were fading, but what followed was one of the most breathless five-minute spells of the La Liga season.
Javi Guerra pulled the hosts level in the 66th minute with a powerful, well worked finish. Four minutes later, Luis Rioja made it 2-1 after Guerra’s shot was charged down and the ball dropped kindly for the winger to fire left footed beyond Wojciech Szczesny. Mestalla erupted. For Sadiq and his teammates, the hard work was done. But there was still time for one more.
Guido Rodriguez then drove home from outside the box deep in stoppage time to seal a 3-1 win that sent the Mestalla crowd into full celebration. Valencia had beaten the champions convincingly on the final day of the season, and Sadiq had been part of the closing moments of that history.
European Dream Falls Just Short Despite the Result
The victory was tinged with disappointment in one respect. Results elsewhere on the final day meant Valencia finished the 2025-26 La Liga campaign outside the European places, despite their best efforts across the closing weeks of the season. A top-half finish was the reward for their efforts, but the squad and their fans will feel they deserved more.
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Sadiq’s First Full Season Back at Mestalla
The 29 year old Kaduna-born forward completed his permanent transfer to Valencia from Real Sociedad in January 2026, ending a long pursuit of a return to the club where he had previously shone on loan. Sadiq made 18 La Liga appearances for Valencia this season, contributing 1 goal and 2 assists in 734 minutes of top flight football. His contract runs until June 2028.
When he put pen to paper in January, Sadiq could barely contain his emotion. He described returning to Valencia as a dream he had chased since the previous summer, and credited both his own determination and the club’s commitment in making the deal happen. His history with Mestalla is a warm one, and Saturday’s celebratory ending to the season will only have reinforced his attachment to the club.
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Lewandowski’s Farewell and Barcelona’s Season End
The night also closed the chapter on Robert Lewandowski’s time at Barcelona. The veteran Poland striker, who scored in what turned out to be his final appearance for the club, has been one of La Liga’s outstanding performers over the past three seasons. Barcelona, who finished the campaign as champions, had nothing riding on the result but will rue the manner of the loss on their own record.
Kylian Mbappe finished the season as La Liga’s top scorer with 24 goals, while Barcelona and Real Madrid secured the two Champions League berths from Spain. For Valencia and Sadiq, the focus now turns to building a stronger platform in the summer transfer window ahead of what they hope will be a more rewarding 2026-27 campaign. New Bet9ja users looking to follow La Liga next season can explore today’s Bet9ja promo code for details on available registration bonuses.
📌 Did You Know?
- Valencia’s Estadio de Mestalla, where Saturday’s match was played, is one of the oldest football stadiums in Spain, having first opened in 1923 and remaining one of the most atmospheric grounds in La Liga.
- Umar Sadiq stands 192cm tall and wears the number 6 shirt at Valencia, an unusual number for a striker that reflects the club’s squad management rather than his position.
- Before joining Valencia on a permanent basis, Sadiq spent three memorable seasons at UD Almeria where he scored 43 goals and registered 13 assists in 84 appearances, helping the club win promotion to the top flight.
- Sadiq’s career also includes spells at Partizan Belgrade, where he scored 23 goals in 52 appearances, as well as stints at Rangers FC, NAC Breda, and on loan at Bologna, Torino, and Perugia early in his career.
- Robert Lewandowski’s goal against Valencia was his last for Barcelona. The Polish striker joined the club in 2022 and won back to back La Liga titles with them in 2024-25 and 2025-26.
- Kylian Mbappe finished the 2025-26 La Liga season as the league’s top scorer with 24 goals, while the total number of goals across the campaign was 888 from 330 matches.
- Valencia’s 3-1 win came just months after Barcelona had hammered the same opponents 6-0 in September 2025, making Saturday’s scoreline a satisfying form of payback for the Mestalla faithful.
