This Wednesday's clash in Amsterdam at 20.45 PM CET is sure to be atypical, as Barça players looking to forget about recent defeats with a victory. FC Barcelona's fourth match in this year's UEFA Champions League group stage is shaping up to be something special. Perhaps most importantly, it is an opportunity for the Catalan team to take home three more points and bring them ever closer to qualifying for the round of 16.
FC Barcelona wanted desperately to get back to winning and Lionel Messi was looking to make history at Camp Nou, but excellent goalkeeping from Celta’s Sergio Álvarez and some unlucky breaks saw the Catalans surrender their lead at the top of the Spanish League table. The Catalan team hit crossbar 4 times, lose second straight in La Liga. Celta win to stay unbeaten on the road this season. The first half ended without any scoring from either side, although several chances either just missed or were thwarted with solid goalkeeping at both ends of the pitch. The second half opened with Neymar hitting the bar yet again. Then just a couple of minutes later, Celta silenced the Camp Nou crowd.
Atletico Madrid and Barça will fight it out for this season’s league title at the Camp Nou next weekend after both of them drew this Sunday evening and Real Madrid bid farewell to any hopes of challenging when they went down to Celta. Barça’s goalless draw at Elche was enough to keep them in with one last chance next week, with Atletico unable to get the win that would have give them the title, drawing 1-1 at home to Malaga.Barça dominated possession and territory against Elche, but were unable to convert that into goals.
If Barça win the remaining six points this season, the Blaugrana will retain the Spanish League crown! La Liga, just like life itself, presents us with a multitude of situations. When it looked as though the title was impossible for Barça after this weekend’s draw with Getafe, the Blaugrana were given a new chance to defend the title they won under the tutelage of Tito Vilanova. This Wednesday evening Real Madrid drew with Valladolid at the Nuevo Zorrilla (1-1), thus leaving the La Liga title in Barça’s hands. The fact that the Blaugrana host Atlético Madrid at the Camp Nou in the last game of the season means that Barça will have the chance to claim the title in front of the Camp Nou faithful.
Barça see off Celta with 2 goals from Neymar and another from Messi, but Valdés' injury casts a pall over the win. Barça continue to pressure at the top of the Spanish League table after the weekend's win over Real Madrid. Luis Enrique made his return to the Camp Nou with a five-man defence that included Fontàs as a deep lying midfielder and with an untypical tactic of ceding possession, which allowed Barça to lay siege to the Celta area and reap the benefits within the first five minutes, as a clever move between Iniesta, Messi and Alexis ended with a simple tap in for Neymar. With Iniesta finding plenty of space through the middle to release Messi, Barça were playing elegant and incisive football which created chances for both Neymar and Messi.
FC Barcelona host Celta at the Camp Nou four days after winning at Madrid's Santiago Bernabéu. Sunday’s 4-3 win in the clásico has put Barça back in contention in an incredibly tight championship race. Just one point separates Atlético Madrid, Real Madrid and Barcelona, and any setback could leave any of these teams in a very difficult position indeed. There are just nine games to go, and every one of them is absolutely crucial. It may sound like a cliché, but they all need to be treated like finals. The legendary Luis Enrique, who played for FC Barcelona for eight seasons and managed Barça B team for three, is back for the first time as a visitor. Gerardo Martino has dropped Oier, Montoya, Afellay and Xavi, the latter being rested after starting five games in a row.
Barça and Espanyol will face off this Friday in the Barcelona derby of the Spanish League, a match played on an atypical, festive day in Catalonia. The Blaugrana come into the match with high morale after defeating Real Madrid and Celta in the previous matches. FC Barcelona are league leaders with 10 victories and 1 draw after 11 matches. Espanyol come into the derby with one victory from their last six matches. Furthermore, it will be the first time that Barça and Espanyol Managers, Tata Martino and Javier Aguirre respectively, face each other.
Barça have defeated a daring Celta de Vigo side to continue their unbeaten run in the Spanish League, leading the championship. The in-form Alexis, goalkeeper Yoel (og) and Cesc got the goals for the Catalans. Following the exertions of last Saturday’s clásico against Real Madrid, Tata Martino decided to make changes to his eleven, the most significant being Alex Song getting to start instead of Busquets. Even without players of the calibre of Piqué, Xavi, Iniesta and Neymar, Barça were fantastic right from the start.
72 hours after the Clásico between Barça and Real Madrid and before the Catalan derby against Espanyol (to be played on Friday), the Spanish League leaders visit Celta de Vigo’s Balaídos Stadium with high spirits after claiming victory over their arch-rivals (2-1) but without Gerard Piqué. Tata Martino has decided to continue with his rotation policy for this Tuesday evening’s match and Gerard Piqué has not travelled to Vigo in order to rest. This means that players like Montoya, Puyol, Sergi Roberto or Tello could feature in the starting line-up.
An 88th minute equaliser by the home team meant Barça were held to a 2-2 draw in a game in which Leo Messi set another record by scoring in every Spanish League game for half a season. However it was Celta who opened the scoring after Orellana beat the Barça back line and set up Isca on 38 minutes. Furthermore, Abidal made a much awaited return on the bench.
On Saturday evening, Barça will travel to Galicia to play with Celta Vigo (18h CET). Shortly after the Catalans have their Champions League quarter final first leg at the Parc des Princes (Tuesday 2nd April at 20.45 CET), which are the main focuses of the week ahead. FC Barcelona will train six times, the first with the internationals still away, and the last in Paris, the day before they face PSG.
Goals from Adriano, Villa and Alba gave FC Barcelona the win over Celta de Vigo. It also confirmed Barça’s record breaking start to the Spanish League season, with 9 wins and a draw in the first 10 games, being eight points ahead from Real Madrid. Despite missing Abidal, Puyol and Piqué, the defence stood strong again, with Alba and Adriano also chipping in with goals before the Brazilian was taken off injured.
Barça’s Boss insisted that Messi, who missed training this morning as his first son was about to be born, will be available for Saturday’s game against Celta de Vigo. Vilanova also stated that Piqué “will be back in training with the rest of us in a few days’ time”.
The Catalan airline Pyrenair postponed all flights that were connecting Lleida and Vigo. For the moment, they will continue operating between Lleida-Alguaire airport and Madrid and will replace the previous flight with a new one to and from A Coruña.