Barcelona Stumbles Again: Celta Vigo Stuns LaLiga Leaders with Late Comeback
Barcelona fans, brace yourselves. Saturday’s LaLiga clash at Balaídos was a rollercoaster of emotions, and not the good kind. Despite being in control for most of the match, Barça let a two-goal lead slip through their fingers, settling for a 2-2 draw against Celta Vigo. The result left head coach Hansi Flick fuming and fans scratching their heads as the team’s recent struggles continued.
It all started so well for the Catalan giants. Goals from Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski, one in each half, seemed to have Barça cruising toward another three points. But the game took a dramatic turn in the final minutes. Celta Vigo capitalized on a red card to Marc Casadó and defensive errors to score twice in two minutes, courtesy of Alfonso González and Hugo Álvarez. The result? A deflated Barcelona and a jubilant Celta Vigo.
Flick’s Frustration Boils Over
After the match, Hansi Flick didn’t hold back. “Sometimes it happens that you see such a performance from a team,” he said during the post-game press conference. “I [didn’t] expect that we [could] play really bad like that, but it’s like this. We have to stand up and go forwards. It’s one match.”
Flick admitted that the only silver lining was the single point salvaged from the draw. “At the end, the best thing was we get one point. It’s the best thing about today, but we are not happy. The players are not happy, everyone is not happy, and I think everyone can play much better than today.”
Barça’s struggles are becoming a worrying trend. They are now winless in two games, having lost to Real Sociedad before the international break. Even more concerning? They’ve failed to win any of their three league matches when teenage sensation Lamine Yamal hasn’t started. Yamal missed Saturday’s game due to injury, and his absence was clearly felt.
What Went Wrong?
Statistically, Celta Vigo matched Barcelona for much of the game and even outshot them by six attempts. But the turning point came in the 82nd minute when Casadó was sent off after picking up a second yellow card. Just two minutes later, a mistake by Jules Koundé opened the door for Celta’s equalizer.
Flick, however, refused to single out Casadó or Koundé for blame. Instead, he pointed to a collective lack of focus. “At the end, it has to do with concentration and focus. Maybe sometimes it was too easy or they think it’s too easy to win, but it’s not easy. Everyone now wants to win against us and wants to play good against us,” he explained.
He added, “There were a lot of mistakes, a lot of bad passes, losing the ball, wrong decisions and that. It’s not about the red card. It’s not about Jules’ mistake. [It’s about] the whole team. It’s a result of how we played. We have to come back. When you are 80% or 85% or 90% you cannot win. It’s not so easy like that.”
Players Take Responsibility
Koundé didn’t shy away from accountability, admitting his error was costly. “We weren’t at the level required for the whole game and in the end we have been punished—starting with me, because I did not have a good game,” the French defender said. “There was a lack of concentration on my part. In what should have been a simple play, I committed a huge error. That mistake has hurt us.”
Midfielder Gavi, who made his first start in a year after recovering from an ACL injury, also expressed his disappointment. “I am happy to be starting for the first time in a year, but the important thing today was to get the three points and that’s not been the case,” he said. “We had the game controlled, but the red card completely changed things. Then, in two moves they’ve scored two goals. The first goal was silly, you have to clear the ball.”
What’s Next for Barcelona?
Despite the draw, Barcelona remains five points clear of second-placed Atlético Madrid. However, Real Madrid, currently third, could close the gap to just one point if they win their two games in hand, starting with Leganés on Sunday.
For Barcelona, the message is clear: they need to regroup and refocus. With key players like Lewandowski and Raphinha continuing to deliver—scoring their 20th and 13th goals of the season, respectively—the talent is there. But as Flick and his players have acknowledged, talent alone won’t be enough if the team doesn’t bring their A-game every week.
Key Takeaways
- Barcelona squandered a 2-0 lead to draw 2-2 with Celta Vigo.
- Marc Casadó’s red card and Jules Koundé’s error were pivotal moments.
- Barça remains winless in two games and struggles without Lamine Yamal.
- Real Madrid could close the gap in the title race with games in hand.
As the LaLiga season heats up, Barcelona will need to find their form quickly. The question is, can they rise to the challenge?
Originally Written by: Sam Marsden
