La Liga preview and odds: Barcelona vs Celta de Vigo

Published on: 13/02/2016

La Liga preview and odds: Barcelona vs Celta de Vigo

February 14, 2016 20:30pm - Camp Nou

La Liga

Barcelona will face one of their recent bogey teams this weekend when they welcome Galician side Celta de Vigo to the Camp Nou for this La Liga clash.

Barcelona out for revenge

Barcelona were left humbled back in September when they paid a visit to Vigo for the first league meeting between these sides. The Galicians ran out 4-1 winners and Luis Enrique had to admit that his team of superstars had been comprehensively outplayed by his old club.

In the reverse fixture last season, Celta took all three points away from the Camp Nou after edging to a 1-0 victory. Prior to that match, Barcelona had not been beaten by their opponents since 2004.

Since that defeat in September, Barca have lost just one match in all competitions and are currently enjoying a 29-game unbeaten streak. They come in to this game on the back of a hard-fought 2-0 win away to Levante in the league, and a 1-1 draw against Valencia in the Copa del Rey, in which they fielded a much-weaknened team.

Celta faltering after dream start

Early season pace-setters Celta de Vigo have gone off the boil in recent weeks, having won just one of their last seven league matches. As a result, they have slipped down to seventh place in the table and are currently 10 points adrift of the first Champions League spot.

Having beaten Barcelona in two out of their last three meetings, Os Celticos will see this game as the perfect opportunity to get their league campaign back on track.

Last time out, they held a rejuvenated Sevilla side to a 1-1 at Bailados in the league, before drawing 2-2 against the same team as they bowed out of the Copa del Rey (2-6 on aggregate) in midweek.

Team news

Rafinha is the only player currently unavailable for Barcelona.

Celta will be without the suspended quartet of Bongonda, Iago Aspas, Sergi Gómez and Orellana, while Nolito and Fontàs are both injured.

Recent form (League)

Barcelona: WWWWW

Celta de Vigo: DLLWL

Betting odds and tips

Barcelona are in irresistible form and it is hard to imagine a depleted and out-of-form Celta side finding a way past them this weekend.

The home side has kept a clean sheet in five of their last seven league home games, and eight of their 12 home games this term have finished with Over 3.5 Goals.

You can back the home Win to Nil at 4/6 and Over 3.5 Goals at 4/7, both with Bet365.

By Neil Morris

Published on: 13/02/2016

Any odds displayed within this preview were correct at the time of publishing (13/02/2016 11:16:43) but are subject to change.