Celta Vigo-Barcelona
REASON FOR CELTA VIGO VS BARCELONA BETTING TIPS
Barcelona take their unbeaten league record to Balaidos on Tuesday and Vigo hasn’t been a happy hunting ground for them in recent seasons. Barca have conceded four times on each of their last two league visits and could be in for another tough test here against Celta.
The Catalan giants are now just eight points away from clinching the title and aren’t under any real pressure here with 2nd placed Atleti well back. They may rest players with this weekend’s Copa del Rey final in mind when Barcelona will attempt to clinch another domestic double.
That would certainly be a creditable achievement in Ernesto Valverde’s first season at the helm but it’s a campaign that was soured significantly by what happened in Rome last week. The Italians highlighted that this Barcelona team is not invincible and and that should offer plenty of hope to Celta who are one of the few Spanish teams that don’t seem to fear the challenge of playing them.
Celta certainly have enough about them to to cause problems. They average 1.56 goals per game this term in La Liga, which is the 7th best record in the division. In front of their own fans that goes up to 1.73 and they fired in four goals against Sevilla in their most recent outing at Balaidos.
They are unbeaten in 8 competitive home matches coming into this. That run includes draws against Barca in the Copa del Rey and Real Madrid in La Liga and they do seem to be a team that can up their game and compete with the big guns.
They will be encouraged by a few cracks which seem to be appearing in this Barcelona defence right now. They’ve been very good in that department this season overall but have conceded in all of their last five games and have conceded twice or more in each of their last two away games.
It should also be said that the prospect of an entire unbeaten league season isn’t being talked about with much excitement in Catalonia or Spain as a whole. While it has never been done before in a 38-game Spanish league campaign, there is a sense that this Barcelona side is inferior to ones of recent years under Pep Guardiola and perhaps even Luis Enrique and the Champions League exit has only heightened that feeling.
It would still be a fine achievement but the weekend’s Copa del Rey final is certainly now a bigger focus than this match and Celta could just take advantage of that. They are a dangerous side on their day and backing Celta to score over 1.5 goals looks good here.
Going for Iago Aspas to score anytime also appeals. He’s had another cracking season with 19 league goals, matching his tally from last term. He bagged a hat-trick in the win over Sevilla last time out at home and backing Iago Aspas to score anytime could be worth a punt here.
HEAD TO HEAD
Barcelona’s last two league visits to Balaidos have seen them lose 4-3 and 4-1. Celta also drew 2-2 at Camp Nou earlier this term and have only lost 2 of their last 5 against the Catalan giants overall.
CELTA VIGO VS BARCELONA STATS
Barcelona have only won 1 of their last 5 away games in all competitions.
Celta have scored twice or more in 6 of their last 7 home matches.
CELTA VIGO TEAM NEWS
Hugo Mallo and Pablo Hernandez are both banned. That should see Nemanja Radoja come into the midfield while Facundo Roncaglia may get the nod at right-back.
BARCELONA TEAM NEWS
Paulinho should start in midfield with Rakitic carrying an injury. Nelson Semedo and Thomas Vermaelen could get starts at the back while Philippe Coutinho and Ousmane Dembele are also expected to be included from the off with some key men rested ahead of the Copa del Rey final.
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