WHO: Barcelona vs Celta Vigo
That: Spanish LaLiga
Where: Estadi Olimpic Lluis Company, Barcelona, Spain
When: Saturday at 4:15 pm (14:15 GMT)
Follow the live text of Al Jazeera Sport and the transmission of photographic comments.
Barcelona will try to extend its leadership at the top of LaLiga seven points when they entertain Celta Vigo on Saturday.
The defenders, Real Madrid, are the second at the table but not in action until Sunday, when they face the athletics club.
However, league leaders are far from being happy, with the programming of their games in the top Spanish category while pursuing a quadruple this season.
Why is Barcelona upset?
Barcelona coach Hansi Flick demanded to meet LaLiga officials about what he called a “joke” schedule, saying that Spanish football was not taking care of the players.
The LaLiga de los Gigantes Catalan game at Real Valladolid on Saturday, May 3 will begin at 9:00 pm (19:00 GMT) after being transferred from a start in the afternoon on Sunday, May 4.
That reprogramming still gives them less than three days to prepare for the section back of the semifinal of the Fundamental Champions League in Inter Milan on May 6.
“I want to see this guy whose answer for that. For me, it’s a joke,” Flick told a press conference on Friday.
“It’s amazing and we don’t have time to rest … the boys who are responsible for that, I want to argue with them, because they have no idea how it is.”
What can Barcelona win this season?
The Champions League is one of the three tournaments in which Barcelona is still competing, exacerbating the challenges related to the congestion of the accessory with which Flick is familiar after a trophy load spell in the Bayern Munich.
But the German manager said that the situation facing his team before a great European party left it “speechless.”
“He had never had this before. Each league protects their clubs when they play in the Champions League, especially in the semifinal,” he said.
“Bundesliga, Premier League, take care of the clubs. But not here. Just let them play.”
Barcelona has already claimed the Spanish Super Cup at the beginning of this season by defeating the real rival fierce 5-2 in Saudi Arabia.
Photographic finish? 📸 pic.twitter.com/O8t7lo0kq
– LaLiga English (@Lalalaen) April 15, 2025
What is the form book for Barcelona?
Barcelona is looking to recover after a 3-1 defeat in Borussia Dortmund in the quarterfinals of the Champions League on Tuesday gave them the first defeat of 2025, Maltegh The Catalans progressed to semifinal 5-3 together.
How is Celta Vigo’s fairing in LaLiga?
Celta Vigo is seventh in the classification, chasing European football, and Flick praised his 37 -year -old coach, Claudio Giraldez, who entered this season and raised a club that ended the last three campaigns in the lower half.
“I have the greatest respect for his work, he has trained a great team … It has nothing to do with his age,” said Flick.
“Celta has a clear idea of how they want to play, they are very good in their accumulation.
“For us, it is important that we show our strengths, perhaps what we lost in Dortmund. We talked about the situations we had in Dortmund, and we have to do better tomorrow … we have to play at our highest level. In addition, they like their distance.”
Raphinha on the left. 🇧🇷
Lamine to the right. 🇪🇸What a duo on Barça’s wings … 💙❤️ pic.twitter.com/8nvbezl6l2
– LaLiga English (@Lalalaen) April 18, 2025
Header
This is the 58th meeting between the clubs, with Barcelona winning 28 occasions and Celta winning 13.
Barça is undefeated in the last three games and have only lost one of the last six clashes between the sides.
When did they gather the last time Barcelona and Celta Vigo?
Barça seemed to have claimed the victory in Celta at its LaLiga meeting in November, since they had a 2-0 advantage with only six normal minutes to play.
Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski scored Barça’s goals, but after Marc Casado was expelled in the 82nd minute, Celta claimed a 2-2 draw thanks to the goals of Alfon González and Hugo Alvarez.
Barcelona team news
Alejandro Bald, Marc Casado, Marc Bernal and Marc-Andre Ter Stegen are absent for Barça due to injuries.
Celta Vigo’s team news
Hugo Álvarez and Carl Starfelt are the only two absent Celta. Both are discarded by thigh injuries.