Celta vs Barça: Preview
Full of reserves and youngsters, the champions play a tough road game with three games left in the season
Celta Vigo (15th, 37pts) vs FC Barcelona (Champions, 83pts)*
*Points and positions at the time of writing on Friday
Competition/Round: 2018-19 La Liga, Matchday 36
Barcelona Outs & Doubts: Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez, Gerard Piqué, Jordi Alba, Sergi Roberto, Sergio Busquets, Ivan Rakitic, Rafinha (out)
Celta Vigo Outs & Doubts: Iago Aspas, David Juncà, Emre Mor (doubt)
Date/Time: Saturday, May 4, 2019, 8.45pm CET (Barcelona), 7.45pm BST/WAT (UK & Nigeria), 2.45pm ET, 11.45am PT (USA), 12.15am IST (India, Sunday)
Venue: Abanca-Balaídos, Vigo, Spain
Referee: José María Sánchez Martínez (aight)
How to watch on TV: beIN SPORTS (USA & Canada), Eleven Sports 1 (UK), SuperSport 7 (Nigeria), SONY TEN 2 (India), Movistar Partidazo (Spain), others
How to stream: beIN SPORTS CONNECT (USA & Canada), FuboTV (USA), Movistar+ (Spain), others
Following an amazing victory over Liverpool in the first leg of the Champions League semifinals, Barcelona return to action in La Liga with the first of three completely meaningless games to end the season after clinching the title last week. The first match is against Celta Vigo, who need a win in this one to practically guarantee their place in the first division after fighting relegation all season.
It is really difficult to have any real interest in this game: the league is done, none of the big stars even traveled to Vigo, and the Liverpool match is just a thousand times bigger and just four days away. This will be a nice opportunity for the reserves and youngsters in the squad who don’t get to play a lot, as well as key players like Nélson Semedo, Arthur and Ousmane Dembélé who probably won’t start at Anfield but need minutes to stay ready and sharp if they’re asked to play a big role off the bench in the second leg.
Celta are always fun to watch and they don’t really mind leaving spaces at the back, so this should be a nice, entertaining back-and-forth at the Balaídos. For once, Barça fans don’t need to worry about the result. This is all about the fun and killing time before the Liverpool game. So let’s have fun and maybe also win because that’s fun, too.
POSSIBLE LINEUPS
Barcelona (4-3-3): Cillessen; Wagué, Todibo, Umtiti, Semedo; Aleñá, Arthur, Puig; Malcom, Boateng, Dembélé
Celta Vigo (4-4-2): Blanco; Hugo Mallo, Costas, Hoedt, Olaza; Méndez, Lobotka, Yokuslu, Boufal; Iago Aspas, Maxi Gómez
PREDICTION
I don’t really care about this game or the result, but I’m hoping the boys take advantage of the opportunity, play really well and get the win: 2-1 Barça.
Source: barcablaugranes.com
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