Barca’s focus is set to be on their return meeting with Liverpool at Anfield in midweek, so can their lowly opponents take advantage?
La Liga champions Barcelona tackle Celta Vigo on Saturday, though the fixture is likely to take a back seat in the minds of the Catalans due to their ongoing Champions League duel with Liverpool.
Lionel Messi might have inspired Ernesto Valverde’s side to an apparently comfortable 3-0 advantage after the first leg at Camp Nou , but they will remain mindful of the Reds’ attacking threat and are set to channel their energy towards the Anfield fixture.
Celta, meanwhile, have more on the line. Fifteenth in the standings, they lie only two points above the drop zone and are in desperate need of the victory.
Could an upset be on the cards at the Balaidos?
| Game | Celta vs Barcelona |
| Date | Saturday, May 4 |
| Time | 7:45pm BST / 2:45pm ET |
| Stream (US) |
In the United States (US), the game can be watched live and on-demand with fuboTV (7-day free trial) .
New users can sign up for a free seven-day trial of the live sports streaming service, which can be accessed via iOS, Android, Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV, Roku and Apple TV as well as on a web browser.
| US TV channel | Online stream |
|---|---|
| beIN SPORTS / beIN SPORTS en Espanol | fubo TV (7-day free trial) |
In the United Kingdom (UK), the game can be watched on Premier Sports 1 or streamed via Eleven Sports 1.
| UK TV channel | Online stream |
|---|---|
| Premier Sports 1 | Eleven Sports 1 |
| Position | Celta players |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers | Blanco, Alvarez |
| Defenders | Hoedt, Araujo, Costas, Cabral, Olaza, Mallo, Vazquez |
| Midfielders | Lobotka, Yokuslu, Radoja, Beltran, Jensen, Sanchez, Boufal, Boudebouz, Mor |
| Forwards | Sisto, Mendez, Hjulsager, Gomez, Aspas |
Celta are waiting on the fitness of Emre Mor, who is unlikely to be cleared for action.
Otherwise, the home side have a full squad available.
Confirmed Celta starting XI: Blanco; Mallo, Cabral, Araujo, Olaza; Boudebouz, Yokuslu, Lobotka, Boufal; Aspas, Gomez
| Position | Barcelona squad |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers | Ter Stegen, Cillessen |
| Defenders | Semedo, Lenglet, Jordi Alba, Pique, Vermaelen, Umtiti, Sergi Roberto, Murillo |
| Midfielders | Coutinho, Vidal, Alena, Arthur, Puig |
| Forwards | Messi, Dembele, |
Barcelona are set to make wholesale changes to their side. Indeed, the entire starting XI is changed.
Only Rafinha is missing due to injury, while Jean-Clair Todibo comes into contention after midweek ineligibility.
Ivan Rakitic and Sergio Busquets are both banned.
Confirmed Barcelona starting XI: Cillessen; Wague, Umtiti, Todibo, Vermaelen; Arthur, Alena, Puig; Malcom, Boateng, Dembele
Barcelona
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Having secured the Primera Division title, the league will take a backseat in terms of importance of Ernesto Valverde’s Barcelona for the moment.
Instead, the focus is firmly fixed upon the challenge of winning the Champions League, in which the Catalans have built a formidable advantage over Liverpool. A double from Lionel Messi helped propel them to a 3-0 victory on Wednesday, with his superb late free-kick a major psychological blow in favour of Barca.
Burned by Roma in the quarter-finals last season after a similar first-leg success, Valverde is wary of the Anfield return.
“It is a great result, but last year we also had an advantage of three goals and well, something happened to us,” he warned.
As such, it is likely to be a virtual Barcelona reserve side on show in Vigo, though such is their strength in depth, it still looks a formidable line-up.
Undefeated in league, Champions League and cup for 23 games, it is a run that these fringe players will not wish to stop, no matter the circumstances.
Celta, meanwhile, promise to be tricky opponents. With Iago Aspas having netted 16 goals in 24 league outings, they boast a potent attacking threat, particularly when in conjunction with Maxi Gomez, who has 12 of his own.
And the home side find themselves in decent form, despite their lowly position. They have lost only one of their last seven matches in the league – away to Atletico Madrid – drawing three and winning three.
Indeed, Fran Escriba’s side are on a three-match home winning streak, and if they were to make that four against Barca on Saturday, it would surely be enough to secure their top-flight status for another year
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