LA LIGA PREVIEW: BARCELONA VS CELTA VIGO

INTRODUCTION

Barcelona will look to return back to winning ways as they host Celta Vigo at the Spotify Camp Nou.

It was a disappointing European outing once again for the Catalans, and they'll be primed for revenge on Wednesday, but they have to first deal with what's in front of them in the form of Celta and more importantly, Iago Aspas, who has proved to be their Archilles' heel time and again.

 While it's been a largely disappointing european campaign, The Catalans have got their domestic campaign off to a flying start, and they have only kept soaring. A win over Celta will take them back to the top of the pile. Celta have however, had mixed results so far this season, but they boast enough quality to cause Barcelona a few problems.

INTERESTING STATS 

• Barcelona have won their last six La Liga matches and have kept a clean sheet in their last five league games in a row.
• The hosts are undefeated in 18 of their last 20 home games against Celta Vigo in all competitions.
• However, Barça would be foolish to overlook their opponents this weekend, as they have only won two of their past five meetings with Celta (D2, L1).
• Barcelona haven’t won back-to-back matches against Celta since doing the double over them in the 2013/14 campaign when Xavi was still in the playing squad.
• The visitors have lost three of the last four away matches.

Last five meetings (all La Liga)
10/05/22 Barça 3-1 Celta
06/11/21 Celta 3-3 Barça
16/05/21 Barça 1-2 Celta
01/10/20 Celta 0-3 Barça
27/06/20 Celta 2-2 Barça

TEAM NEWS.

Barcelona lost Andreas Christensen and Franck Kessie to injuries this week, but Frenkie DeJong has been welcomed back into the squad after being declared match fit. The growing list of injuries has also forced Xavi to call up a few players from the B squad, like central defender Chadi Riad, Right back Marc Casadó and Midfielder Pablo Torre. With the crucial contest against Inter later in the week, Xavi will look to share the minutes appropriately. 

Celta Vigo will do without Francisco Cervi due to suspension, otherwise they have no absentees for this clash. Barcelona bogey man Iago Aspas had to deal with a stomach bug last weekend but he should be fit enough for this. Two former Barcelona players who recently joined Celta, Carles Perez and Oscar Mingueza, will hope to get minutes as they come back to their former home.

Where and when are Barcelona vs Celta Vigo playing?

• Location: Barcelona, Spain
• Stadium: Spotify Camp Nou
• Date: Sunday 9 October
• Kick-off Time: 20:00 BST / 15:00 EST / 12:00 PST
• VAR: Jose Luis Gonzalez Gonzalez
• Referee: Jose Luis Munera Montero

CONCLUSION

Celta Vigo have proved capable of causing Barcelona problems in the past and will want to do so here again. Their hosts however, are roaring to put the mid-week defeat behind them with a big statement and will be fired up to return to the summit of La Liga with a victory here. Based on quality and overall form, Barcelona should be able to take all 3 points from this game.