Barcelona are heading to Balaídos on Sunday for what promises to be a tough match against a very confident Celta Vigo. Softfootball understands that it’s their last game before the final international break until March, and the Catalan side know they’ll have to be at their best to come away with points.
Celta are enjoying a fantastic run under Claudio Giráldez. They haven’t lost in their last eight games and have won five in a row across La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the Europa League. Their flexible approach, switching formations and rotating players, has made them unpredictable and hard to play against.
Barcelona manager Hansi Flick doesn’t underestimate the challenge, as he hailed the quality of the opposition. Defensively, Barcelona have also been struggling; they’ve conceded in nine consecutive matches, a worrying streak for a team that used to pride itself on a solid backline, recently conceding three goals in a wild 3–3 draw with Club Brugge in midweek. Flick, as revealed by Barcelona via X, admitted that the team needs to do better defensively, especially against a quality team like Celta Vigo.
He said:
Celta are in a good moment of form, perhaps in a better situation than us. But everything will depend on our attitude. We want to win and go into the break with three points.
Our line drops too deep, and our forwards stay too far away. We need to be more connected as a team.
Injuries add another layer of concern for Barcelona; Joan García remains out but is expected back after the break, as Softfootball reported earlier that the goalkeeper is back to training. Jules Koundé missed the final training session and is doubtful, while Eric García may also miss out with a suspected broken nose. That leaves Ronald Araújo and young Pau Cubarsí likely to start in central defence.
However, Barcelona uploaded a video of the team’s last training session ahead of the clash with Vigo in a post made via the team’s official X handle.
Watch the video below:
With Celta in peak form and Barcelona still searching for defensive balance, Sunday’s game will test Flick’s tactics and the team’s resilience. It’s a clash that could reveal a lot about how Barcelona are shaping up for the rest of the season.
