PREVIEW | Celta Vigo v FC Barcelona
The 3-3 draw with Granada last week was an opportunity dropped by FC Barcelona for although they have gained a point on second placed Girona, they are now ten points adrift of Real Madrid at the top of the Liga table.
All they can do from now on is keep winning and hoping, and that's not traditionally been a easy thing for them to do at the ground they visit this Saturday. The Catalans have only won on one of their last eight visits to Balaidos, home of Celta, including no fewer than four defeats. The only victory was 3-0 in 2020, and it's a repeat of that performance that they'll be hoping for in the 6.30pm CET kick-off.
And a win would also be the perfect boost for morale with a huge game coming up straight after. The Champions League is back, and Napoli stand between the blaugrana and a place in the quarter finals. That's on Wednesday. But for the time being, Celta is the only thing that matters.
As usual, we have prepared a global guide so you can work out when and where you'll be able to watch the game wherever you are in the world.
How it stands
Following their emphatic 4-0 defeat of second-placed Girona, Real Madrid have gone five points clear at the top of the table, and will be going to Rayo Vallecano for a derby on Sunday. Meanwhile, Girona, who are in turn five points ahead of Barça, visit Athletic Club on Monday night. That game holds a double interest for Barça, because the Basques are one of the two teams that are currently posing the bigger danger to a Champions League berth next season.
The other is Atlético Madrid, and the fact that neither of those teams were able to win last weekend softened the blow of Barça's own dropped points. Diego Simeone's side open the Saturday schedule with their game away to Las Palmas.
Last time we met
Although Barça have an abominable recent record in Vigo, things have gone far more to plan when they have had home advantage, as they did when they met Celta earlier this season. That was one of the most memorable games of the season so far, when disaster was looming as Barça went 2-0 down with a quarter of hour to go and looked headed for their first defeat of the season.
But in the space of just eight minutes they managed to turn the whole thing around, with João Cancelo's last minute goal sparking euphoria on the Estadi Olimpic terraces.
Celta in trouble
Coach Rafa Benítez and his side have not been having the best of campaigns, and they currently lie just three points clear of the relegation zone. The Galicians only managed one win from their first 16 outings, and although they have won a further three since then, they have still been losing games more often, including back-to-back in their last two home fixtures against Real Sociedad and Girona.
As usual, a very close eye will need to be kept on Iago Aspas, who may not be an automatic starter under Rafa Benítez, but who is the highest scoring current player against Barça, with ten goals in his 18 games against them.
Team news
Vitor Roque is back in the 21 man squad for the game in Vigo after missing the draw against Granada last weekend due to suspension. However, Xavi Hernández's team are still without Gavi, Marcos Alonso, João Félix, Sergi Roberto and Ferran Torres due to injury.
Xavi says
Coach Xavi Hernandez says "it's a difficult trip against a team with a highly methodological coach who does things right. But we are going to need to show that we are able to keep competing."
"The squad is united and training hard" he continued. "There is also unity with the club president and Deco. But we can't afford any more slips. I am positive that we can make up the lost ground. That's the direction we are working in, improving in defence, in pressure... These are three very important points that would improve our league position. I'm not thinking about Napoli yet."