Celta and Barça look for air in Balaídos
BARCELONA, 16 Feb. (EUROPA PRESS) –
RC Celta de Vigo receives FC Barcelona this Saturday at the ABANCA Balaídos Stadium (6:30 p.m.) on matchday 25 of LaLiga EA Sports, with the shared need to add the three points to catch their breath and leave behind that strange feeling that hangs over Vigo and about Barcelona, with both teams marked by an urgent need to improve their game and results.
There are still fourteen games left in this League but emergencies are beginning to emerge on both sides of the table. Celta, with only 3 points cushion above relegation, is facing the imminent arrival of the 'finals' to save itself and in front of it it has a Barça that, with a turbulent environment, also needs to win so as not to miss the train of ' Champions'.
Although Xavi Hernández, after his delayed goodbye, insists that things are going in the right direction, the truth is that the unexpected draw at home on the last day against Granada CF (3-3), penultimate classified, left Barça 10 points behind the leader Real Madrid and with only 5 points ahead of Athletic Club, fifth.
Barça's fight seems to be beginning to retain, at least, fourth place. Right now they are third, with 3 points more than Atlético de Madrid, and not winning in Balaídos could complicate life for the Blaugranas. Of course, winning and a good combination of results could make the challenge look upward again.
Celta, with only four wins in 24 games, is going through one of the worst moments in its most recent history. Rafa Benítez's men, for various reasons, are not taking off and are only 3 points behind Cádiz, the first team in the red zone. And he is lucky that Almería and Granada, despite the Nasrid feat in Montjuïc, seem destined for relegation. So the fight is just to avoid a place.
The Celtiñas have just lost in Getafe (3-2) with a goal from Mata in the 89th minute, after managing to tie the score at 2-0 thanks to goals from Strand Larsen and Allende in just a quarter of an hour. Fight without reward for Benítez's team, who could not continue the 0-3 in El Sadar against Osasuna. Furthermore, in their last two duels in Balaídos, they lost by the minimum against Real Sociedad and Girona.
Celta flirts with good results, but against Barça they must take one more step to aspire to get out of the hole of all. And the Blaugranas are not a good rival, since they also come with that imperative need to win and forget the setback against Granada as soon as possible. Although Xavi has the OK to continue no matter what happens until the end of the campaign, losing would once again fan the flames of the 'culer' environment.
The Terrassa coach recovers Oriol Romeu for this duel, but continues to have almost infinite casualties; those of Gavi, Balde, João Félix, Ferran Torres, Marcos Alonso and Sergi Roberto – who will be the next to be discharged -. On the good side of the balance is also that striker Vitor Roque 'Tigrinho', who had just scored in his last two games, recovers from suspension after suspension.
For Rafa Benítez the outlook for casualties is better. Joseph Aidoo is the only certain casualty, although Carlos Dotor and Williot Swedberg are in the final stretch of their recovery and could arrive. However, Manquillo will be absent at the last minute, so former Òscar Mingueza could play again against Barça.
Sparks flew in the first round duel, with a comeback by Barça at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys that is memorable. Celta took the lead thanks to Strand Larsen and Douvikas, but in the last ten minutes of the game a double from Robert Lewandowski (81' and 85') and a saving goal from João Cancelo in the 89th minute gave the team the victory and three points. Barça.
DATASHEET.
–POSIBLE ALIGNMENTS.
RC CELTA: Guaita; Mingueza, Domínguez, Tapia, Núñez, Ristic; Beltrán, Jailson, De la Torre; Aspas and Strand Larsen.
FC BARCELONA: Ter Stegen; Kounde, Inigo Martinez, Araujo, Cancelo; De Jong, Gundogan, Pedri; Raphinha, Lewandowski and Lamine Yamal.
–REFEREE: Pulido Santana (C. Canario).
–STADIUM: ABANCA Balaídos Stadium.