Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the La Liga match.
On Tuesday, Barcelona came dangerously close to complicating their Champions League campaign, suffering a 1:3 defeat away to Borussia Dortmund. Nonetheless, the team progressed to the semi-finals. Their focus now returns to La Liga, where the match against Celta de Vigo carries significant weight — Barcelona cannot afford to let Real Madrid close the gap.
Barcelona
Prior to the second leg against Borussia Dortmund, Barcelona had claimed 9 wins in 10 matches since the beginning of March. In La Liga, they have scored 84 goals in 31 rounds — 20 more than the league’s second-best attacking side, Real Madrid. This season, Barcelona have seen Total Over 2.5 goals in 22 matches — the highest such total in Spain’s top flight.
Celta de Vigo
Last weekend, Celta de Vigo suffered their first defeat since early February. An impressive eight-match unbeaten run had lifted the mid-standings side into European contention. However, the team still struggles at the back: across 15 away fixtures, they have recorded 19.10 xGA and conceded 28 goals — the worst goal difference away from home in La Liga. Without their reliable defender Carl Starfelt (thigh injury), Celta de Vigo are likely to be vulnerable again in Catalonia.
Barcelona vs Celta de Vigo Prediction
The 2:2 draw between Barcelona and Celta de Vigo in the first half of the season marked the fourth consecutive head-to-head to see Total Over 2.5 goals. The second leg is expected to deliver another high-scoring encounter.
