Sports Mole previews Sunday’s La Liga clash between Barcelona and Celta de Vigo, including predictions, team news and possible line-ups.
Barcelona will bet on achieving seven consecutive victories in La Liga when they continue their domestic campaign at home against Celta Vigo Sunday night.
The Catalan team will enter the match following a 1-0 loss to Inter Milan in the Champions League on Tuesday night, while Celta recorded a 1-0 victory over Real Betis in the league at the end of last week.
match preview
©Reuters
Barcelona are flying in La Liga, winning each of their six games since a goalless draw with Rayo Vallecano in the opening weekend of the 2022-23 campaign.
xaviIncredibly, the team have not conceded a league goal since a 4-1 victory over Real Sociedad on August 21, keeping a clean sheet in their last five against Real Valladolid, Sevilla, Cádiz, Elche and Mallorca, scoring 15 times in the process.
The run has seen them climb to the top of the table, albeit tied on points (19) with champions Real Madrid, and it looks set to be a fascinating battle for the title this season, with every point lost likely valuable due to strength. From both sides.
However, Barcelona have a lot of work to do when it comes to the Champions League as they lost their second straight game in the competition on Tuesday night, going down 1-0 to Inter Milan at the San Siro.
The Catalan team is currently third in Group C with three points, three behind second-placed Inter and six behind leaders Bayern Munich, and the team is set to host Inter at the Camp Nou for a big game next week.
©Reuters
Celta suffered a 3-1 loss to Barcelona at the Camp Nou last season but recorded a 2-1 win at the famed stadium in May 2021, and the Sky Blues will be the fresher of the two teams on Sunday night.
Edward CoudetThe team suffered back-to-back defeats to Atletico Madrid and Valencia before the international break, conceding seven goals in the process, but they will go into this game with a morale-boosting victory.
Gabriel Vega he scored the only goal of the game against Real Betis last weekend, and the victory left Celta in 11th position in the table, with 10 points from their first seven games.
The Vigo-based side finished 11th in Spain’s top flight last season, but were eighth in 2020-21 and sixth in 2015-16, so progress into the top half of the division is possible this term.
Celta have no European commitments this season but they still have a busy October, facing Real Sociedad, Real Valladolid, Getafe and Almería before the end of the month.
State of form of Barcelona LaLiga:
Form Barcelona (all competitions):
State of form of Celta Vigo LaLiga:
team news
©Reuters
Barcelona have six players currently on the sidelines, with Andreas Christensen Y frank kessie the last people to get injured, with the problem of the first against Inter.
Kessie then suffered an injury in training on Wednesday, and the pair bonded Hector Bellerin, Ronald Araujo, memphis payment Y jules konde on the treatment table.
Frankie de Jong However, he has returned to training this week and the Dutch international is set to be available for the match at the Camp Nou.
Gerard Piqué could replace Christensen in the defense of four, while Ansu Fati Y alexander bucket pressure to return to the side after the clash with Inter in San Siro.
As for Celtic, frank cervi they will miss the game through suspension, but otherwise the visitors are in good form ahead of the clash at the Camp Nou.
Iago Blades should return to being a starter after having been on the bench against Real Betis the last time, with Carlos Perez likely to be the player to break through in the starting eleven.
Jorgen Strand Larsen should appear again in the last third of the field, with Gonçalo Patience Y Lucas of the Tower He is expected to be on the visitors’ bench this weekend.
Possible Barcelona starting eleven:
Ter Stegen; Roberto, Pique, E Garcia, Balde; Gavi, Busquets, Pedri; Dembele, Lewandowski, Fati
Possible starting eleven for Celta de Vigo:
marchesina; Mallo, Aidoo, Nunez, Galan; Beltran; Rodriguez, Veiga, Solari; Larsen, Aspas
We say: Barcelona 3-1 Celta de Vigo
Barcelona will be encouraged to return to winning ways after the disappointing result against Inter, and it is difficult for us to predict anything other than success at home. Xavi’s side have been excellent in the league this term and should have plenty for their opponents in this contest.
For data analysis of the most probable results, scores and more for this match, click here.
Better advice
Our expert tipster partners from Sporita.com predict a home win for this match. Click here to find out what else they’re predicting for this game and for more of their tried and tested soccer tips.Win at home: facts