Barcelona marches toward La Liga title before Inter Milan decider in Champions League

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Raphinha and Fermín López saved Barcelona from a stumble at relegated Valladolid on Saturday, helping it close on the La Liga title before a crunch Champions League match at Inter Milan.

Halftime substitute Raphinha canceled out Valladolid’s first-half opener in the 54th minute. López continued his quietly superb season by bagging the winner six minutes later for a 2-1 road victory.

Hansi Flick played with fire by rotating his starting XI ahead of Tuesday’s trip to Milan, where Barcelona and Inter will see which can tip the balance in their semifinal after delivering a 3-3 thriller this week in Spain.

“I am happy that we won the three points, but I am also happy that some players had less minutes before the important match against Inter on Tuesday,” Flick said.

Even though his team was trailing 0-1 at halftime, Flick stuck to his plan to play only top midfielder Pedri González for the first half before replacing him with Frenkie de Jong. First-choice center backs Pau Cubarsí and Íñigo Martínez didn't play.

Valladolid made a surprising start when Iván Sánchez’s shot deflected off Ronald Araújo, hit the turf and looped over goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen, who was making his first start since recovering from a right knee injury in September.

Barcelona was stalled until Lamine Yamal replaced injured debutant Daniel Rodríguez, whose first game ended after just over half an hour when he hurt his right arm.

Raphinha replaced an ineffective Ansu Fati at halftime. The Brazil forward, who has come through in the clutch for Barcelona this season, drilled in a loose ball after goalie André Ferreira punched a cross by Yamal to the edge of the area. Fermín followed up moments later with a precise, low strike into the corner.

Yamal had a goal-bound shot saved on the line by Valladolid's Antonio Candela in the 80th. The 17-year-old also delivered the dribble of the match, when he spun with the ball to twirl past two defenders.

Barcelona opened a seven-point gap over Real Madrid, which it beat last weekend in the Copa del Rey final to launch its bid for a treble.

Madrid hosts Celta Vigo on Sunday. After this round there will be four games left, including a clasico in Barcelona next weekend.

“I was really eager to play and enjoy being on the field. And there is no better way to return than with a win,” Ter Stegen said on his first appearance in seven months. “We are keeping up the momentum ahead of some spectacular games.”

Flick had said that Ter Stegen would see some action in La Liga but that Wojciech Szczesny will continue to play in the Champions League.

Defender Andreas Christensen made his first start of the season in defense after a long injury absence.

Barcelona midfielder Gavi Páez asked to be substituted late in the game. It is unclear if it was due to muscle cramps or a possible injury. Barcelona already has striker Robert Lewandowski, right back Jules Koundé and left back Alejandro Balde on its injury list.

Valladolid was relegated last week after winning just four of 33 games before Barcelona came to the city in north-western Spain.

Valladolid’s disgruntled fans protested against club owner, Brazil and Real Madrid great Ronaldo, before and during the Barcelona game. Supporters waved fliers that looked like 500-euro notes with the face of Ronaldo and the message in English “Ronaldo go home” on them before tossing them toward the turf. They also chanted for him to leave.

Third-placed Atletico Madrid drew at Alavés 0-0 as Diego Simeone was left five points behind fierce rival Real Madrid.

Ayoze Pérez's double led Villarreal to a 4-2 win over Osasuna and reinforced its hold on fifth place, which next season will earn a Champions League berth. Real Betis, in sixth, was four points behind with a game in hand.

Hugo Duro scored twice for Valencia as it won at Las Palmas 3-2 and kept the Canary Islands club in the relegation zone.

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Barcelona's Andreas Christensen, left, and Valladolid's Marcos Andre challenge for the ball during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Valladolid and FC Barcelona at the Jose Zorrilla stadium in Valladolid, Spain, Saturday, May 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Barcelona's Lamine Yamal, centre, controls the ball during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Valladolid and FC Barcelona at the Jose Zorrilla stadium in Valladolid, Spain, Saturday, May 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Barcelona's Lamine Yamal, centre, and Valladolid's Antonio Candela, left, challenge for the ball during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Valladolid and FC Barcelona at the Jose Zorrilla stadium in Valladolid, Spain, Saturday, May 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Barcelona's Raphinha, left, and Barcelona's Frenkie de Jong celebrate after the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Valladolid and FC Barcelona at the Jose Zorrilla stadium in Valladolid, Spain, Saturday, May 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Barcelona's Fermin Lopez, centre, celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Valladolid and FC Barcelona at the Jose Zorrilla stadium in Valladolid, Spain, Saturday, May 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Valladolid's fans hold banners read "Ronaldo go home" during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Valladolid and FC Barcelona at the Jose Zorrilla stadium in Valladolid, Spain, Saturday, May 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

A poster with a portrait of Real Valladolid owner Ronaldo lays on a floor at the Jose Zorrilla stadium during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Valladolid and FC Barcelona in Valladolid, Spain, Saturday, May 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Valladolid's Ivan Sanchez, right, celebrates with teammates after scoring the opening goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Valladolid and FC Barcelona at the Jose Zorrilla stadium in Valladolid, Spain, Saturday, May 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Barcelona's Pau Victor, right, shoots the ball during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Valladolid and FC Barcelona at the Jose Zorrilla stadium in Valladolid, Spain, Saturday, May 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Barcelona's Lamine Yamal warms up before the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Valladolid and FC Barcelona at the Jose Zorrilla stadium in Valladolid, Spain, Saturday, May 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Barcelona's head coach Hansi Flick waits for the start of the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Valladolid and FC Barcelona at the Jose Zorrilla stadium in Valladolid, Spain, Saturday, May 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Barcelona's Lamine Yamal sits on a bench before the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Valladolid and FC Barcelona at the Jose Zorrilla stadium in Valladolid, Spain, Saturday, May 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Barcelona's Pau Victor shoots the ball during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Valladolid and FC Barcelona at the Jose Zorrilla stadium in Valladolid, Spain, Saturday, May 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Barcelona's Raphinha runs during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Valladolid and FC Barcelona at the Jose Zorrilla stadium in Valladolid, Spain, Saturday, May 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Barcelona's Ronald Araujo, centre, and Valladolid's Juanmi Latasa challenge for the ball during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Valladolid and FC Barcelona at the Jose Zorrilla stadium in Valladolid, Spain, Saturday, May 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

U.S. forces on Monday launched an effort to guide commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz, where hundreds have been stuck since the Iran war began.

Two American-flagged merchant ships have “successfully transited” through the critical waterway, the U.S. military said. Separately, the U.S. military denied Iran’s claims that it struck an American Navy vessel southeast of the strait.

Iran handed over its latest proposal for negotiations with the U.S. to mediators in Pakistan, Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency reported Friday. Trump subsequently said he’s “not satisfied” with it, but did not elaborate on the proposal’s apparent shortcomings. The shaky ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran has lasted for three weeks.

Here's the latest:

The U.S. stock market is holding tentatively near its record heights Monday, while oil prices climb with uncertainty about when oil tankers can resume crossing the Strait of Hormuz and restore the world’s flow of crude. Dueling claims about a possible Iranian strike on a U.S. Navy vessel in the strait heightened the tensions.

The S&P 500 slipped 0.1%, coming off its latest all-time high. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 216 points, or 0.4%, as of 9:35 a.m. Eastern time, and the Nasdaq composite was up 0.1%.

The action was stronger in the oil market, where the price for a barrel of Brent crude climbed 2% to $110.37 and briefly topped $114 during the morning. Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz due to its war with the United States has kept oil tankers pent up in the Persian Gulf and away from customers worldwide. That in turn has sent the price of Brent soaring from roughly $70 per barrel before the war.

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Rubio will travel to Rome and Vatican City this week in a bid to ease rising tensions between the Trump administration and Pope Leo over U.S. policies, particularly with Iran.

The State Department said Monday that Rubio, a devout Catholic who’s visited Rome and the Vatican at least three times since becoming Trump’s top diplomat, would be in Italy on Thursday and Friday.

“Secretary Rubio will meet with Holy See leadership to discuss the situation in the Middle East and mutual interests in the Western Hemisphere” the department said. “Meetings with Italian counterparts will be focused on shared security interests and strategic alignment.”

The trip comes as Trump has criticized Pope Leo, the first American pontiff, for his stances on the Middle East and elsewhere and posting social media images likening Trump to Jesus Christ.

The disruption of the waterway has squeezed countries in Europe and Asia that depend on Persian Gulf oil and gas, raising prices far beyond the region.

Trump has promised to bring down gas prices as he faces midterm elections this year.

The U.S. has warned shipping companies they could face sanctions for paying Iran for transit of the strait. It has enacted a naval blockade on Iranian ports since April 13, telling 49 commercial ships to turn back, U.S. Central Command said Sunday. The blockade has deprived Tehran of oil revenue it needs to shore up its ailing economy.

U.S. officials have expressed hope the blockade forces Iran back to the negotiation table.

The U.S. military said Monday that two American-flagged merchant ships had successfully transited the Strait of Hormuz and Navy guided-missile destroyers in the Persian Gulf were helping to restore shipping traffic. It separately denied Iran’s claims to have struck an American Navy vessel.

The announcement came a day after U.S. President Donald Trump announced a new initiative to help guide ships through the critical waterway for global energy. Iran has effectively closed the strait since the U.S. and Israel started the war Feb. 28, rattling the global economy.

The U.S.-led Joint Maritime Information Center has advised ships to cross the strait in Oman’s waters, saying it set up an “enhanced security area.” U.S. Central Command didn’t say when the Navy ships arrived or when the merchant vessels departed.

It was unclear whether shipping companies, and their insurers, will feel comfortable taking the risk given that Iran has fired on ships in the waterway and vowed to keep doing so.

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President Donald Trump and Donald Trump Jr. step off from Marine One upon their arrival on the South Lawn of the White House, Sunday, May 3, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

President Donald Trump walks from Marine One to board Air Force One at Ocala International Airport, in Ocala Fla., Friday, May 1, 2026, after speaking at an event in The Villages, Fla. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

President Donald Trump steps off from Marine One upon his arrival at the South Lawn of the White House, Sunday, May 3, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)