Celta Vigo vs Barcelona 02/10/20

02 October 2020

Celta Vigo and Barcelona go head-to-head at the Estadio de Balaídos in a potentially high-scoring La Liga contest. Indeed, three of their previous five league H2Hs have seen over 3.5 goals and both teams on the scoresheet.

The hosts take the field on a run of three La Liga matches without a loss thanks to a 1-1 away draw with Real Valladolid last time out (W1, D2). Celta’s tendency to take control of the game early on has seen them open the scoring in the first half in both of their previous league outings. That comes as an improvement compared to the fact the ‘Célticos’ broke the deadlock in just 34.21% of their La Liga fixtures back in 2019/20 (13/38). Conceding the opener could create problems for Celta, as it did last season, where they picked up just a single win from ten home league games in which they shipped the first goal (W1, D3, L6).

Meanwhile, Ronald Koeman has started his managerial career at Barcelona in remarkable fashion, as the Catalans dismantled Villarreal 4-0 at Camp Nou in their La Liga curtain-raiser. Koeman now faces an uphill task of maintaining momentum against a side Barca have failed to beat on the road in five consecutive top-flight encounters (D2, L3). Notably, each of those five H2Hs has seen the ‘Blaugrana’ concede over 1.5 goals, which was true in nine of their 19 La Liga trips back last season (47.37%). Yet, Barcelona enter this round unbeaten in six away league matches (W4, D2), four of which have seen them keep a clean sheet.