Two clubs battling at opposite ends of the La Liga table will lock horns this weekend, with each side hoping to secure a positive result for different reasons.
While struggling Celta Vigo find themselves three points clear of the relegation zone, Barcelona sit five points shy of the top two.
Saturday’s showdown in Galicia looks set to have a big impact at both ends of the standings, and our preview contains all the key stats and trends behind the contest.
Preparations begin for Celta 🔜 pic.twitter.com/hfYYFx6Zi4— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) February 14, 2024
Preparations begin for Celta 🔜 pic.twitter.com/hfYYFx6Zi4
Celta Vigo suffered a 3-2 defeat at the hands of Getafe last time out, conceding in the 89th minute after coming from 2-0 down to level the game.
As a result, Rafael Benitez’s side have lost four of their previous five matches across all competitions, dropping out of the Copa del Rey in the process.
To make matters worse for Celta, they have lost each of their last three home games, firing two blanks to underline their offensive problems.
Trends also show that Celta have managed to win just five of their previous 31 La Liga matches, with four victories coming in 24 outings this season.
Meanwhile, Barcelona were held to a 3-3 draw by Granada last weekend, with 16-year-old Lamine Yamal bagging a brace to rescue his side a point.
It would not be unfair to say that Xavi’s men have been wildly inconsistent of late, as they have recorded four wins, one draw and three losses in their previous eight matches.
That said, Barca’s away stats are hugely impressive, as they have picked up six wins and five draws to remain unbeaten on their La Liga travels this term.
It is also worth noting that Xavi’s side have lost only four of their last 25 away league outings, which doesn’t bode well for the hosts this weekend.
Head-to-head: Barcelona won the reverse fixture 3-2 in September, meaning they have won three of their previous four league meetings with Celta Vigo.
Given that we have seen over 2.5 goals in eight of the past nine La Liga matches between Celta and Barca, Saturday’s clash looks set to be a high-scoring affair.
Team news: The hosts look set to be without injured trio Joseph Aidoo, Carlos Dotor and Williot Swedberg for the foreseeable future.
Barca also have multiple injury absentees, including Marcos Alonso, Gavi, Joao Felix, Sergi Roberto, Oriol Romeu, Ferran Torres and Alejandro Balde.
There is no hiding the fact that Barca have been unpredictable in recent times, but they shouldn’t struggle to overcome lowly Celta.
Forebet’s AI algorithm predicts that Barcelona will score over 2.5 goals en route to dispatching Celta Vigo.