Barcelona vs Celta Vigo predictions and match preview for Sunday’s LaLiga fixture. Read on for analysis, team news and predicted lineups as the Galicians travel to Camp Nou.
| Date | Sunday 9th October 2022 |
| Kick-Off | 21:00 (local time) |
| Stadium | Camp Nou |
| Competition | LaLiga |
Barcelona vs Celta Vigo Preview
Barcelona and Celta Vigo meet in the final game this Sunday in LaLiga. Xavi’s side will be hungry to bounce back from a midweek defeat in Europe but will also have an eye on Wednesday’s rematch against Inter at Camp Nou.
That feels like a must win game now for Xavi’s team who have lost 2 of their opening 3 UCL group games, despite a near perfect domestic record. They will almost certainly look to rotate as a result here, although options for that are limited in defence with Barcelona likely missing the likes of Jules Kounde, Ronald Araujo, Hector Bellerin and Andreas Christensen to injuries.
That sudden defensive crisis could become a major problem over the coming weeks with the big games coming thick and fast. Barcelona’s next five games are all against strong sides and there is the small matter of the Clasico next weekend to contend with. They can’t afford to take their eye off the ball here though against a Celta Vigo side that is blessed with enough quality to cause problems if they are at their best.
That hasn’t always been the case this season and they were well beaten 3-0 in their most recent away game against Valencia. However Chacho Coudet’s side responded well to defeat high-flying Betis last weekend, although they did benefit from their opponents going down to 10 men in just the 20th minute.
Star forward Iago Aspas was only able to take his place on the bench in that one due to stomach problems but he should return to the starting eleven here. Coudet may not be totally sure what his best options are for the other attacking roles as he has a number of new players to choose from after a busy summer while academy product Gabri Veiga has impressed at times and was their match winner last weekend with an early goal.
Team News & Possible Lineups
Barcelona
| INJURED | Araujo, Kounde, Bellerin, Depay, Kessie, Christensen |
| DOUBTFUL | |
| BANNED |
Possible XI: Ter Stegen – Balde, Garcia, Pique, Roberto – Pedri, Busquets, Gavi – Fati, Lewandowski, Dembele (4-3-3)
Coach: Xavi
Celta Vigo
| INJURED | |
| DOUBTFUL | |
| BANNED |
Possible XI: Marchesin – Galan, Nunez, Aidoo, Mallo – Beltran – Oscar, Veiga, Perez – Aspas, Larsen (4-1-3-2)
Coach: Chacho Coudet
Score Prediction: Barcelona 4-2 Celta Vigo
This should be an open game as Celta aren’t the kind of team who just look to park the bus and play for a draw. That has left them exposed at times on their travels this season and we may see a repeat here although the visitors are certainly capable of asking a few questions of their own against a weakened Barcelona defence.
PLEASE NOTE – Our LaLiga predictions are not betting tips! No profits are guaranteed if you’re using them to bet on Spanish football. If you are gambling, do so responsibly and never stake more than you can afford to lose. BeGambleAware.
