Celta – Barcelona

Celta forced to play on the attack against Barcelona

On Sunday, 4 June, Celta play at home against Barcelona. The Catalan club have not been motivated for a month. For Celta, on the other hand, the season could suddenly turn into a disaster. The club was quietly moving into the middle of the table, but a failure at the finish line puts their place in La Liga in jeopardy. A draw could be insufficient to secure a place in the final round. Barcelona thrashed Mallorca in their last meeting. The club had previously lost two games in a row. Xavi's lack of motivation took its toll on the team. At home, the Catalans showed quality football in their last game at home to Sergio Busquets. The veteran was given a beautiful send-off. It is doubtful that Xavi will be able to motivate the main squad for the away meeting with Vigo. A reserve combination on the outsider is very likely. Xavi should give a few young performers from the far backline a chance to play. Who are definitely not expected on the field are Balde, Pedri, and Araujo. All three are injured. Probably, Busquets will not play either. The footballer will be safely released on a winning streak. Barcelona have not had a consistent, high-quality game since April. The team is prone to slumps. In this regard, bookmakers are giving rather high odds on the visitors. Barcelona have a curious streak of four consecutive meetings with the total, although previously the team preferred to play 1-0. Celta have only five points in their last ten games. Only one win at home to hapless Elche. Carlos Carvalhal's side have been in the middle of the table all season without much challenge. A month ago, the season looked over. That fact relaxed the players. Celta played a six-match losing streak, losing five times. The team's failure is entirely logical. Celta have the worst offensive performances. The club create less than one attacking chance per game on average. Defensively, it's not all bad. It's surprising that an attacking team with a flamboyant attack faced just such problems at the finish line. The condition is compounded by the enigmatic status of Iago Aspas. The leading scorer is at risk of not playing against Barcelona due to injury. A very entertaining match is on the horizon. The hosts have nowhere to retreat, they need to put pressure on Barcelona. The Catalans could well play relaxed and pick up the attitude of their opponents. Last season, the clubs played one of their most entertaining league games in Vigo. The hosts salvaged a spectacular draw. In the first leg, Barcelona got a narrow victory, but the trend in Vigo is usually towards a result-oriented encounter. The last three games have been topsy-turvy.