Celta scares Barça: 5 consecutive victories and precedents at Balaídos to tremble

The team of Claudio Giráldez, after an irregular start in which it accumulated seven consecutive 1-1 draws and took time to achieve its first league victory, has experienced a total turnaround: it has five consecutive victories and eight matches without losing across all competitions. The contrast with the azulgrana team is notable. Xavi´s side not only drags problems with their play, defensive errors, and injury absences, but now they must face a rival in full positive momentum, free from the pressure of being at the bottom and with rising confidence.

Two pending subjects at Balaídos

Despite the great moment, Celta still has two outstanding issues in LaLiga that it will try to settle against Barça. The first is to finally win at Balaídos, as their two recent league victories have come as visitors (2-3 against Osasuna at El Sadar and 1-2 against Levante at the Ciutat de València). The second is to keep a clean sheet in the championship. So far, the Vigo team has conceded goals in all league matches, although they arrive after achieving a 0-0 in Zagreb in European competition, where Iván Villar was a starter and had a standout performance. The usual starter, Radu, remains a doubt due to a sprain in his right thumb. Another uncertainty is that of former azulgrana Marcos Alonso, who traveled to Croatia but could not play due to gastric problems. Hugo Álvarez, who scored a goal in the last Celta-Barça in Vigo, will also be absent from the squad due to an ankle sprain.

A Celta that never gives up

Barça knows that Balaídos is a dangerous field, and recent precedents prove it. In two of the last three league matches played there, Celta managed to score points despite being behind. Last season, the Galicians came back from 0-2 in the last minutes to equalize, and in the 2021/2022 season, they had an even more epic reaction: from 0-3 to a final 3-3, with Sergi Barjuan on the culé bench as interim coach. Between both matches, there was also a celestial victory of 2-1 in the last matchday of 2022/23, crucial to secure survival, and a 1-2 favorable to Barça in 2023/24 with a brace from Robert Lewandowski, the second goal from a penalty in added time. Balaídos, without a doubt, remains a complicated scenario for the azulgranas.

The best celestial moment

The Vigo team arrives in great form: five consecutive victories across all competitions (against Nice, Osasuna, Puerto de Vega, Levante, and Dinamo Zagreb) and eight matches in a row without knowing defeat, since the loss to Elche at the end of September. With these numbers and the current emotional boost, Celta faces the match against Barça with high morale and the hope of making another statement at Balaídos.