Match Preview : Celta Vigo VS Barça

After yet another 2 weeks of boring international football, it’s finally time to return to club football. And it’s not an easy game at all to start us off. Tonight from 9pm local time, live from Balaidos, it’s Celta Vigo against Barcelona. A game which is always seen as a potential banana skin, especially away from home, and tonight is going to be no different from the past visits we’ve had there.

I’d expect to see goals, but it’s also going to be a very difficult and nervous game for our young Barca side to navigate through. So let’s jump straight into the match preview!

A Quick Look at our opponent:

Games against Celta Vigo generally are very tense and nerve wracking games to watch. And that’s even the case over the last few years where they’ve been fighting to stay up in La Liga. This season however, things couldn’t be any different. They’ve had a brilliant start to the new season, especially throughout the initial run of games. They’re comfortably mid table and have come up with some really impressive results so far.

There’s of course the familiar faces like Iago Aspas, to keep an eye on. A player that against most other clubs, seems pretty quiet. But every single time this guy faces Barça, he always turns up. Emulating the second coming of Lionel Messi on some occasions. He’s always a thorn in our side. But we also have a familiar face in Mingueza. Someone who had a brilliant debut season with us under Ronald Koeman, but couldn’t keep that up when Xavi arrived to the club. He’s had a great start to the season. Being called up to the Spanish national side too. Celta are going to be a very tough opponent tonight, and clearly have a solid squad too. But how are we expected to lineup?

Predicted lineup:

Unfortunately it seems like Lamine Yamal is almost definitely ruled out for tonight’s games which is a huge blow for us. Although he’s only 17, the impact he has on this team is remarkable. So missing a player like him in a game like this isn’t ideal, but he should be back by next week. For me, the defence will be the strongest possible one we have. Ronald Araujo is on the fringes of returning to the squad which is exciting and a huge positive to the squad.

It’s also a,ready been leaked in the media, that barring any changes, the midfield will include Gavi from the start for the first time since he made his return. A double pivot of him and Casado is a really exciting idea. Pedri and Dani Olmo are expected to be just ahead of them alongside Lewandowski and Raphinha.