(Football news) The visitors will go into the game fresh from a 3-3 draw with relegation-threatened Granada, while Celta’s most recent La Liga match ended in a 3-2 loss to Getafe.
It would be surprising to see Celta relegated this season, as they haven’t competed outside of Spain’s top division since the 2011–12 campaign. This is especially true considering that they have finished comfortably in eighth, eleventh, and thirteenth place in their previous three seasons at this level of competition.
Despite having a record of four wins, eight draws, and twelve losses from 24 games, the Sky Blues have had a difficult season and have only managed to accumulate 20 points.
The difficulties of the clubs below Rafael Benitez’s team have kept them out of the relegation zone despite their issues. Currently, they are three points clear of Cadiz in 18th place in the table and in 17th position overall.
Even though Celta lost 3-2 at Getafe the previous weekend and has now lost three of their last four games in the top division of Spain, they did triumph 3-0 away at Osasuna in the beginning of the month.
When the teams met again early in the season, Vigo lost 3-2 to Barcelona; but, toward the end of the 2022–2023 La Liga season, they defeated the Catalan powerhouses 2-1 in the comparable match.
Barcelona, meanwhile, played out a pulsating 3-3 draw with 19th-placed Granada last weekend; the strugglers actually led 3-2 in the 66th minute of the match, but Lamine Yamal’s second goal in the 80th minute ensured that Xavi’s side would secure a share of the spoils.
The Catalan outfit remain third in the table, three points ahead of fourth-placed Atletico Madrid, but they are some 10 points behind the leaders Real Madrid, which is a lot of ground to make up at this stage of the season.
Barcelona have picked up seven points from their three league matches since Xavi announced that he would be standing down as head coach at the end of the campaign.
Although they may not win La Liga this season, the Catalan team is still playing in the Champions League and is getting ready to go to Italy for the opening leg of their matchup with Napoli in the round of 16.
Barcelona has had yet another difficult season, but they are actually unbeaten away from home in La Liga this year after drawing six of their eleven games. Their three league losses this year have occurred at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys, their temporary home.
