Barcelona will be looking to get their season back on track when they visit Celta Vigo. The visitors will go into the game fresh from a 3-3 draw with relegation-threatened Granada. Celta’s most recent La Liga match ended in a 3-2 loss to Getafe.
Preview (Celta Vigo vs. Barcelona)
It would be surprising to see Celta relegated this season. They haven’t competed outside of Spain’s top division since the 2011–12 campaign. This is especially true considering that they have finished comfortably in eighth, eleventh, and thirteenth place in their previous three seasons at this level of competition. Despite having a record of four wins, eight draws, and twelve losses from 24 games, the Sky Blues have had a difficult season and have only managed to accumulate 20 points. Despite their issues, Rafael Benitez’s club is currently three points above Cadiz in 18th place in the table. They are only one spot above the relegation zone thanks to the failures of the teams behind them.
Celta managed to win 3-0 away to Osasuna at the beginning of the month. They have already lost three of their last four games in Spain’s top division. It included a 3-2 setback at Getafe last weekend. The Vigo team defeated Barcelona 2-1 in the rematch at the end of the 2022–2023 La Liga season. Last weekend, Barcelona and 19th-placed Granada drew 3-3 in an exciting match.
The Catalan team is still in third position in the standings, three points above Atletico Madrid in fourth. They trail Real Madrid by almost ten points. It is a significant deficit to make up at this time in the season. Xavi declared he would be stepping down as head coach at the end of the season. Barcelona has won seven points from their three league games. Even though they won’t be winning La Liga this year, the Catalan team is still playing in the Champions League and is getting ready to go to Italy for the opening leg of their matchup with Napoli in the round of 16.
Team News
Carlos Dotor is questionable because of a muscle issue. Other than that, the Sky Blues are healthy for this game. Given that the home team’s winner came in the 89th minute, head coach Benitez is expected to resist the urge to rotate his starting lineup from the team that lost at Getafe. He could take the place of former Barcelona defender Oscar Mingueza in the starting lineup, though.
Regarding Barcelona, Oriol Romeu is still doubtful because of a knee ailment, and Ferran Torres, Joao Felix, Sergio Roberto, Alejandro Balde, Marcos Alonso, and Gavi will all miss out due to injuries. Ronald Araujo is expected to return to defense, and fit-again Rapinha could start after making his comeback from a muscular ailment on the bench last time out. Head coach Xavi is expected to make two changes to the starting lineup that faced Granada. After serving a suspension, Vitor Roque is also eligible once more, although it is anticipated that he will start from the bench because Yamal’s brace against Granada will likely result in another start for the 16-year-old.
Celta Vigo 1-2 Barcelona
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