Celta Vigo vs Barcelona predictions and match preview for Sunday’s LaLiga fixture. Read on for analysis, team news and predicted lineups as Celta target a final day win to beat the drop.
| Date | Sunday 4th June 2023 |
| Kick-Off | 21:00 (CEST) |
| Stadium | Balaidos |
| Competition | LaLiga |
Celta Vigo vs Barcelona Preview
It promises to be a tense and potentially emotional evening at Balaidos on Sunday as Celta Vigo face Barcelona. The hosts are in serious relegation danger after a big decline in form and need a win here to absolutely guarantee safety on the final weekend.
Celta looked all but safe when they beat Elche 1-0 in late April to move onto 39 points with 7 games remaining. However they’ve only managed to add one more point to that tally since, drawing 1-1 against Girona in their last home game. While other teams have spent most of the season battling the drop, it feels like the stark reality of their situation may only have just dawned on these Celta players who sunk into deep trouble after losing a six pointer at Cadiz last weekend.
If ever Celta needed a hero, it’s this Sunday at what will be a sold out Balaidos. In the past, Iago Aspas has invariably come up with the goods on nights like this but the 35 year old has been struggling for form and fitness in the buildup to this match and it’s unclear what kind of state he’ll be in. If it’s not to be Aspas, it’d be a timely moment for Gabri Veiga to rediscover his best football. The youngster has enjoyed a breakthrough season with 9 goals and 4 assists in LaLiga, however none of those have come in the last 9 games.
Celta will be hoping that they are up against a Barcelona side that is mentally already on the beach. They are unlikely to get any favours from Marc-André ter Stegen though with the away goalkeeper hoping to set a new record for the most clean sheets in a LaLiga season.
He hasn’t had quite as much help from his defence in recent weeks with Barcelona’s form dropping with 2+ goals conceded in 3 successive games against Espanyol, Real Sociedad and Real Valladolid. However it was a more assured performance as the Catalans signed off at Camp Nou last weekend with a 3-0 win over Mallorca. That will be their last outing at their old home for some time while it is redeveloped next season and it was also a goodbye to Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, two club legends who will not play any part in this game with their Barcelona careers effectively now over.
Team News & Possible Lineups
Celta Vigo
| INJURED | Marchesin, Aidoo |
| DOUBTFUL | Beltran |
| BANNED |
Possible XI: Villar – Galan, Nunez, Tapia, Mallo – Beltran – De La Torre, Veiga, Perez – Larsen, Aspas (4-1-3-2)
Coach: Carlos Carvalhal
Barcelona
| INJURED | Pedri, Balde |
| DOUBTFUL | Araujo |
| BANNED |
Possible XI: Ter Stegen – Alonso, Christensen, Kounde, Roberto – De Jong, Kessie, Gavi – Fati, Lewandowski, Dembele (4-3-3)
Coach: Xavi
Score Prediction
This is likely to be a tense affair and there will be a lot of ears to radios and eyes on phones to see what is happening elsewhere, particularly in Valladolid. Given the quality of the opposition and their own troubles in front of goal of late, it’s unlikely Celta will want this to be a particularly open game and with Barcelona missing some important players and with nothing to play for, the visitors are unlikely to be at their best either. A tight game looks likely and it could well end up level unless we get a moment of real individual quality from someone.
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