Celta Vigo vs Barcelona

Estadio de Balaidos forms the backdrop for an exciting La Liga showdown between relegation-fighting Celta Vigo and newly-crowned champions Barcelona.

Celta Vigo enter this encounter with a slim one-point lead above the relegation zone, knowing that only a victory can secure their La Liga survival. Any other result would leave their fate dependent on outcomes from other matches, considering their inferior head-to-head record against most of the other five clubs vying to avoid relegation. There is significant uncertainty surrounding their ability to secure a win, given their recent form of just one point in their last six league games (L5). The ‘Sky Blues’ risk the possibility of relegation to the second division for the first time since 2011/12. Manager Carlos Carvalhal maintains a positive outlook as they conclude their campaign at home, where Celta are unbeaten in five of their last seven games (W3, D2, L2). Moreover, facing champions Barcelona might not be as daunting a challenge as anticipated, considering the hosts have lost only once in their last seven league home H2H encounters against the Catalan powerhouse (W3, D3).

On the other hand, Barcelona bid farewell to their iconic home ground Camp Nou with a 3-0 victory over Mallorca last time out, bouncing back from back-to-back losses ‘to one’ at the hands of Real Sociedad and Valladolid. Camp Nou will undergo renovations in the summer and will no longer house club legends Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets in Barcelona colors, as the two won’t stay in Catalonia next season. Both long-serving stalwarts are expected to start this weekend, with the ‘Blaugrana’ aiming to defy an underwhelming four-match league form on hostile turf (D1, L2) and end a first triumphant La Liga campaign since 2018/19 on a high. But after three straight league clean sheets on the road (W2, D1), Xavi Hernandez’s men have conceded 2+ goals on their last three top-flight travels (W1, L2).