Summary
For almost an hour of this game, Celta Vigo were on terms and causing far more problems than most visitors to this stadium. Even after Luis Suárez restored Barcelona’s lead with a breathtaking goal, Celta were right in the game with 15 minutes to play.
What followed was barely believable. Barcelona accelerated mercilessly, a riot of rainbow flicks, rapid-fire interplay, and for the fourth goal, an extraordinary penalty fake that you’ll probably be seeing again.
Beating Celta was far from certain at half-time; in the end, they humiliated them. Perhaps, given their recent struggles against this side, that was all part of the plan. Either way, it was quite something to behold.
Thanks for joining me. Goodnight!
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Full time: Barcelona 6-1 Celta Vigo
Well that wasn’t bad, was it?
GOAL! Barcelona 6-1 Celta Vigo (Neymar)
Thank you, and goodnight. Barcelona have been extraordinary in the second half, and Neymar wraps up a thumping victory, getting himself on the scoresheet as (you guessed it) Messi and Suárez tee him up. Through on goal, he lifts the ball daintily over Sergio, and that’s six.
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88 mins: It also seems that Suárez may have been encroaching when he scored that penalty. The officials were presumably as bewildered as everyone else.
86 mins: In the midst of Barcelona’s penalty antics, Wass went off, replaced by Pape Cheikh. It feels like an awfully long time since he could, maybe should, have equalised.
“I hope Thierry Henry and Robert Pires were watching” says Charles Antaki.
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Barcelona 5-1 Celta Vigo (Rakitic)
I suppose the lesson here is to never, ever annoy Barcelona. Rakitic races through a ragged Celta back line, meets Suárez’s expert through ball, and lofts the ball over the increasingly forlorn keeper.
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Barcelona 4-1 Celta Vigo (Suárez)
Now this... this is something else. Messi puts the ball on the spot, about to tuck away his 300th La Liga goal... then rolls the ball to his right, allowing Suárez to steam in and slot the ball under Sergio! That is absolutely outrageous.
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Penalty to Barcelona!
It’s all become too much for Celta, with Neymar rainbow flicking his way to a one-on-one which Sergio narrowly wins. Before they know it, Messi is coming at them from the other flank, and he is hauled down on the goal line. Needless, but understandable.
77 mins: Guidetti is replaced by Drazic, and earns a smattering of applause from the home supporters. Iniesta, replaced by Arda Turan, is given a more rousing send off. Suárez looked suitably sheepish after that choice bit of goal-hanging; it’s his goal though, and he’s now La Liga’s outright top scorer.
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GOAL! Barcelona 3-1 Celta Vigo (Suárez)
Yes. Yes they will. Messi cuts in at speed from the right, then flicks a pass into Neymar’s path. It’s a touch overhit, but Neymar somehow rolls the ball around Sergio, then lofts the ball back across goal, all in a fraction of a second. It may have gone in anyway, but Suárez is at the far post to make sure.
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73 mins: The hosts keep stroking the ball around, but Celta are patient, and then pounce in midfield, with Wass, a menacing box-to-box presence, motoring forward and firing on goal – but it’s too close to Bravo! Will they rue missing these chances?
Footballers should never use social media, part 589:
70 mins: Barcelona trying to settle things down with a spell of sustained passing. For perhaps the first time tonight, this feels like a normal Barcelona home game.
68 mins: Celta are feeling their way back into this match, and after Mallo and Guidetti combine, the latter tees up Wass for a shot that pings just over the bar. It’s not over yet...
66 mins: Oof! Guidetti has been a marvellous nuisance tonight, and he does to Mascherano what he did to Alba in the first half, muscling him off the ball effectively, setting up a shot from an angle – but a rush of blood sends it high over the bar.
64 mins: A change for Celta, who have lost their way in this second half. Díaz replaces Pablo Hernández, who has run himself into the ground.
62 minutes: Barcelona warming up nicely, with Suárez drilling a cross towards Neymar that Sergio collects smartly. Alves, who drew the ire of the crowd at times, looked mighty peeved to be substituted.
60 minutes: I don’t know what was more impressive – the pass from Messi, or the fact that Suárez was expecting it. Changes for Barcelona, with Alves and Roberto off, and Aleix Vidal and Rakitic on.
58 minutes: Celta can’t clear their lines, and Suárez slots the ball to Messi, then barrels into the area, anticipating an exquisite scooped pass from his team-mate, and smashing the ball past the helpless Sergio.
Woof. @niallmcveigh pic.twitter.com/QNxgw5WFaw
— Panini Cheapskates (@CheapPanini) February 14, 2016
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GOAL! Barcelona 2-1 Celta Vigo (Suárez)
It has been coming, and it was, quite frankly, sensational.
57 mins: The hosts are clanking through the gears, finding almost too many bodies in the box as Neymar and Suárez get in each other’s way. Eventually, Neymar has a shot that flies thirty feet over Sergio’s goal.
55 mins: Celta so nearly hand the initiative back to Barcelona, as a misplaced pass presents the ball to Messi, thirty yards out. That, obviously, is a bad idea, and he picks out Iniesta. Only Sergio’s wrists of steel prevent his low shot from finding the net.
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54 mins: Guidetti, who has done an excellent job as a lone striker, is still wound up about that handball, and grabs a handful of Alba’s shirt after the defender slumps to the ground too easily.
53 mins: Barça’s passing has been uncharacteristically askew tonight, but they almost worm their way through here. Iniesta and Neymar combine, before the Brazilian slips the ball to Messi. Celta’s defenders, swarming relentlessly, eventually stop the No10 in his tracks.
51 mins: Gerard Piqué is a lucky man, as the referee fails to spot a clear handball, with the centre-back in a tussle with Guidetti. The Celta striker is incensed.
49 mins: After such a rapid start to the second half, Barcelona have become a little tentative – perhaps confused by Celta’s obstinate refusal to sit in their own half.
46 mins: What a goal this would have been. Or rather, what an assist, as Neymar danced past Cabral, swivelling along the goal line and leaving the centre-back on his proverbial. He cut the ball back to Suárez, whose angled shot clatters the post! Roberto, following up, can only scoop the rebound wide.
Peep!
It’s back on in Barcelona.
We’ll be back under way shortly. It could be a long 45 minutes for Celta to endure, particularly as they played, and lost, a Copa del Rey semi-final on Thursday. Part of the reason Celta’s league form has stuttered in recent weeks is that – get this – they prioritised the Cup.
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Half time: Barcelona 1-1 Celta Vigo
Despite a lack of form and first-team regulars, Celta have stood up to their hosts, and John Guidetti’s penalty has them level at the break. An intriguing second half coming up shortly.
45 mins: Mascherano tees up Alba with a raking pass down the left wing, and his cross deflects to Neymar, stationed in the corner of the penalty area – but his shot is high, wide and hopeless, in truth.
43 mins: Neymar’s effort looks the part, but was always zipping a couple of feet over the bar.
42 mins: Neymar is felled by Hugo Mallo, who gets a booking. Three of the Celta back four on yellow cards now, which can’t be good. Another presentable free kick, close to the left-hand corner of the penalty area...
40 mins: Roberto, a persistent presence in the Celta penalty area, spins sharply before lofting a pass to Suárez, who fires low and wide across Sergio’s goal.
GOAL! Barcelona 1-1 Celta Vigo (Guidetti penalty)
Guidetti fires a fierce spot-kick across Bravo, who dives the right way but can’t keep it out, before cupping his ears to the Camp Nou stands. Celta, on balance, just about deserve that.
Penalty to Celta Vigo!
Well, well. Alba gets in a muddle as Guidetti chases him down, seemingly in vain – and as the Swedish striker moves level with him, Alba oafishly clips his heels!
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37 mins: Messi is hauled down on the corner of the area, and after his free-kick is headed clear, Alba fires a shot that has Sergio on his heels – but flies an inch over the bar!
35 mins: A slight change of shape from Celta, with Hernández dropping deep and helping out his defenders, and the remaining midfielders in a row of four behind Guidetti. Whether it’s intentional or they’ve just lost their bearings, who knows.
32 mins: Guidetti sends a long, sweeping diagonal pass out to Beauvue who, positioned in prime van Basten territory, fires a first-time volley at goal! It’s on target, but Bravo is well placed and gets two fists to the ball.
31 mins: The volume is rising inside the ground, led by a jaunty drumbeat. Celta couldn’t have done much better in the first half-hour, and yet here they are, still behind.
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29 mins: Almost a second, as Messi moves forward with Neymar and Suárez slavering on either side of him. He opts to go right, towards the Uruguayan, but Planas stretches to cut the pass out.
GOAL! Barcelona 1-0 Celta Vigo (Messi)
Messi’s free kick is magnificent, bending and swaying with sufficient venom to beat Sergio and slap nonchalantly into the top corner.
26 mins: The all-action Planas is in the spotlight again, this time for scything down Suárez, about thirty yards out. He is booked, and Messi will have another go...
24 mins: Another opening for Celta on the break, as Roberto gives the ball away, and Wass, Planas and Guidetti find themselves in an unconventional three-on-two. Wass threads the ball through to Planas, and Guidetti is free on the left of the area, but the defender shoots on the turn, forcing a smart save from Bravo.
23 mins: From a distant free kick, Messi bends in a dangerous cross that Dani Alves, unmarked, is inches from nodding home. The defence are so bamboozled, it almost loops in off a stationary defender, but Sergio is alert.
20 mins: Messi aside, Barcelona are not quite clicking yet, with two attacking moves in quick succession breaking down.
Elsewhere in Europe, it seems PSG’s Serge Aurier has been suspended, after criticising Laurent Blanc on Periscope. That, and Joleon Lescott’s mysterious car tweet, show us that footballers should really stay away from social media.
18 mins: Another foray forward for the visitors ends with a tame header on goal from Wass. Claudio Beauvue, a recent arrival from Guingamp, is causing Jordi Alba a few problems down Barcelona’s left – particularly as the left-back looks to have tweaked his hamstring.
16 mins: Celta are keeping bodies forward – helpful in relieving the pressure, but bad news when Messi gets on the ball, playing a cheeky one-two off the referee then scurrying towards goal. Despite the attentions of three defenders, he forces a shot on goal from a tight angle, but Sergio collects.
15 mins: Neymar, who is on a relatively barren run, is sent clear by a marvellous Messi flick, but Sergio stands tall to bat his shot away.
13 mins: Good work from Guidetti earns Celta a corner, and a sky blue shirt is first to it, but it’s a comfortable catch for Bravo.
11 mins: Messi, 25 yards out, curls the free kick a few inches wide of Sergio’s near post. The commentary team reckon the goalkeeper had it covered. I’m not so sure.
10 mins: Celta defender Cabral is in the book, finding himself firmly on the back foot as Suárez deftly takes down a through ball from Sergi Roberto. He had little option.
9 mins: Fresh danger for the visitors, with Iniesta and Neymar combining, before Suárez is found in space on the left – but his cross is easily cleared, with the Brazilian barrelling towards the far post.
7 mins: Mascherano stayed down after a heavy landing, but is soldiering on.
6 mins: Celta, available at 33-1 to win this game, have the first opportunity, as Guidetti knocks the ball down for Señé, who slices a daisy-cutter wide of the far post.
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4 mins: Celta aren’t sitting deep, with their front three all stationed in the opposing half. Former Manchester City man John Guidetti loses the ball, and Iniesta is off upfield in a flash. Only a fine sliding clearance from Mallo keeps Neymar from latching onto his through ball.
3 mins: Sergi Roberto, who looks on the verge of levering Ivan Rakitic out of the first choice XI, has been the busiest Barcelona player in these low-intensity opening moments.
“On the channel I’m watching, the Geordie colour commentator Ray Hudson has joined in with the Barcelona hymn, and with some gusto” says Charles Antaki. “A first for television commentary? His US colleague seems rather nonplussed by it all.” How I wish I could have heard that.
2 mins: Celta are chasing their first double over Barcelona since 1942 – a tough enough ask with their first-choice team available. A slow start, with Suárez chasing a loose long ball in vain.
Peep!
We’re off.
Kick-off is edging closer at Camp Nou, where the atmosphere is more frivolous than fearsome at the moment. Lionel Messi is in the team, despite having what sound like fairly intrusive tests for kidney stones this week, fuelling those pesky non-human rumours.
The Barcelona players are out warming up on a balmy evening at Camp Nou. I’m relying on social media, as Sky have yet to cut to Catalonia, instead doing one of those things where boxers sit the wrong way on chairs, and say mean things to each other. I like it, and would approve of it being introduced to all sporting events.
The state of play
A reminder that Barcelona are top of the La Liga table, level on points with Atlético, who have this very minute beaten Getafe 1-0, but with a hefty two games in hand, including tonight’s encounter. Real Madrid are a point further back, after beating Athletic Bilbao last night. Celta Vigo, meanwhile, have dropped to eighth after Eibar beat Levante 2-0 to climb above them. They’ll return to the top six with a win tonight, a prospect that is highly unlikely.
Team news
Barcelona: Bravo; Alves, Piqué, Mascherano, Alba; Busquets, Sergi Roberto, Iniesta; Messi, Neymar, Suárez.
Subs: ter Stegen, Rakitic, Arda, Munir, Aleix Vidal, Vermaelen, Mathieu.
Celta Vigo: Sergio; Jonny, Hugo Mallo, Cabral, Planas; Radoja, Wass, Pablo Hernández; Beauvue, Sene, Guidetti.
Subs: Ruben, Marcelo Díaz, Drazic, Borja Fernández, Borja Iglesias, Pape Cheikh, David Goldar.
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Preamble
Barcelona may be on cruise control – unbeaten in 29 games, two trophies down, three to go, their galactic attacking trident nutmegging and shimmying over and across prone opponents – but today will have long been circled in red in Luis Enrique’s diary.
Celta are his former team, his stint in Galicia rebuilding his reputation after an abortive, experimental phase at Roma. They’ve also proved quite the thorn in his side, winning 1-0 at Camp Nou last season, and sending a ripple through the league’s upper echelons with a 4-1 thrashing in Vigo back in September.
Sadly for Celta, there are a few key differences between that day and this. Their own terrifying trio – Nolito, Fabián Orellana and, yes, Iago Aspas – are, um, all out today. Celta went top with that famous thumping - now they’re seventh and sliding, with one league win in seven as they have failed to do a Leicester.
Is ice cold retribution on the cards this evening? Enrique knows better than anyone that Celta are not to be underestimated. Kick-off is at 7.30pm GMT, 8.30pm local time.
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Niall will be here shortly. In the meantime, celebrate Lionel Messi being named La Liga’s player of the month for the first time ever. Yes, really.
Lionel Messi has been named La Liga player of the month for January, the first time he has won the award.
The award has been given out since the beginning of the 2013-14 Primera División season but the five-times Ballon d’Or winner had not won it until now.
The Barcelona forward was honoured at the 23rd time of asking after scoring six goals in as many league games in January.
The 28-year-old struck a hat-trick against Granada as well as scoring in victories over Athletic Bilbao, Málaga and Atlético Madrid to take his total of league goals for the season to 12.
Messi is only the second Barcelona player to win the award following Neymar’s success in November.
Cristiano Ronaldo has won the award twice since it began in September 2013, as have the Atlético pair Diego Godín and Antoine Griezmann and the Real Sociedad striker Carlos Vela.
Meanwhile the rivalry between Barcelona and Real Madrid has spilled into the Copa del Rey final, a match in which Madrid are not even playing.
Barcelona will face Sevilla in the final in May, but the discussion in Spain is about whether Real Madrid will allow the game to be played at the Santiago Bernabéu or force officials to choose a different venue.
Barcelona and Sevilla want the match at the Bernabéu, which is the biggest neutral ground, and would generate greater revenue. But Real Madrid have hinted that they want nothing to do with it, apparently hoping to avoid the risk of seeing their biggest rivals celebrating a trophy on their ground.
