Full-time: Barcelona 0-1 Celta Vigo
And that’s it – a major shock, and a second straight league loss for Barça, who had a hatful of chances, but weren’t at their rampant best, while Celta’s organisation was really admirable. Thanks for your company and emails. Bye.
90+3 mins: And now a Barça booking, Pedro for a clumsy trip, though that too looks an unfair yellow card.
90+2 mins: A poor pass from Pedro out of play receives catcalls from the crowd. Another ball forward for Suarez is snuffed out by the excellent keeper Sergio.
Three minutes will be added.
90 mins: There is aesthetic pleasure to be taken in a well drilled defensive rearguard, and Celta have given us some tonight. But Barça keep coming. We’re in the last minute.
88 mins: Suarez’s curled cross eludes the keepr, for once, but Neymar can’t quite get on the end of it. It’s agonisingly close.
Celta sub - Nolito off for Madinda.
86 mins: This last five minutes is likely to be a siege, but Celta look up to the job at the moment. Neymar surges into the box on the left, finds Suarez, but light blue shirts crowd him out again.
84 mins: Chance for Suarez, brilliant save. Sergio dives to his right to push a fierce Suarez half-volley around the post.
83 mins: Up the other end, a textbook example of collective defensive harrying and persistence from Celta denies the equally persistent Messi, and Barça are unable to get sight of goal.
82mins: Now Mascherano gifts Celta a free-kick with a barge into the back of Krohn-Dehli. And from it, Charles shows exceptional skill to bring the ball down with his chest inside the area, turn and volley at goal. Bravo saves well and concedes a corner, which comes to nothing.
80 mins: Off the bar yet again. Barcelona gain another free-kick as Radoja brings down Messi, whose effort is an improvement on his previous one, curled onto the top of the bar.
78 mins: Xavi tries some eye of a needle passing with customary panache, but no one can do anything with it. And Celta break swiftly and nearly double their lead. Nolito is clear on goal on the left of the area, Bravo saves and it comes straight back out at Charles, who can’t keep his header down.
76 mins: There does seem to be a more competive air to La Liga this season. The weekly turkey shoots of yore for Barça and Real are not looking as likely to occur as once they were.
Another Celta sub – Charles for Larrivey.
73 mins: No sooner do I type that than Sergi Gomez brings down Suarez, is booked, and concedes a free-kick just outside the box. Harsh, I think. But injustice is averted by Messi’s rather poor free-kick, which he curls into the crowd.
72 mins: The stats tell us Celta have committed 21 fouls to Barcelona’s seven, without looking savagely dirty it has to be said. Pedro sends a harmless shot from the right sailing over.
70 mins: Barça break through Suarez and Messi, who lays it off right to Pedro, whose left-foot cross is headed firmly at the keeper by Suarez, who’s looking unmistakably frustrated.
69 mins: Xavi finds Pedro who knocks it to Rakitic, but Celta clear again. Pedro gets forward again and crosses, Celta keep them out again.
Celta sub – Borja Fernandez comes on for Pablo Hernandez
66 mins: Barça Substitutions – Pedro for Rafinha, Xavi for Busquets
65 mins: Sheer persistence from Messi, who dribbles through the middle, feeds Neymar, it cannons back to Messi, who runs past a couple more before his effort is blocked by the obdurate Sergio.
63 mins: Messi ploughs through the middle again and is defied by good defending.
“Has any midfielder on Barca’s roster this season looked remotely as good as Fabregas though? Eh?” asks Philip Podolsky, possibly gloatingly. Not really, no, though when did “roster” become a commonplace football term (he harrumphs, fogeyishly)?
61 mins: It’s not coming off for Messi or Neymar at the moment, despite their best dribbling efforts, and the best Barcelona can do is get a cross in through Rakitic that Mathieu, slightly in front of the ball, can only head over.
59 mins: Barça win a free-kick on the left in a threatening position. It’s a teasing inswinger, but is headed clear by Cavaral before Suarez can get to it. The corner is cleared but Barça continue to press and Suarez, tightly policed, manages to win an other corner.
58 mins: Hopeful Barça chance: Rakitic’s hopeful cross is headed hopefully and tamely at Sergio by Rafinha. That deflating silence that falls on La Liga grounds with hardly any away fans has fallen on the Camp Nou now.
57 mins: There’s some space for Celta going forward now. Orellano finds some on the right but his cross is poor and gathered by Bravo.
56 mins: That was a very neat goal, and rather dilatory defending. Celta play it forward long to Hernandez for a flick-on to Nolito, who forages forward and takes out two defenders with a lovely backheel into the path of Larrivey, who finishes first-time into the keeper’s left-hand corner.
Goal! Barcelona 0-1 Celta Vigo (Larrivey, 55)
Wouldn’t you know it
54 mins: Barcelona are definitely finding more space going forward, but the final ball and final shot are not there at the moment. It’s almost as if these attacking players haven’t played together much.
53 mins: Neat Barca move forward – Raktici to Messi to Suarez, who cuts inside and is tackled as he shapes to shoot. He might have been onto that chance a tad more sharply.
52 mins: Messi tries to find Jordi Alba with an identical weighed pass out to the left as the one he tried a few minutes ago but this one doesn’t come off. Celta break and Nolito wins a free-kick after being fouled by Alves.
50 mins: Or another way of putting it:
49 mins: Barcelona have begun this half purposefully, but no sign as yet of them being any better at taking their chances. Rakitic thwacks a shot from 30 yards inelegantly high and wide.
47 mins: Off the bar again – Messi picks out Jordi Alba on the left whose cut-back is clipped onto the top of the bar and over by Neymar.
Much half-time discussion of Barça’s failings in central and defensive areas, and Charles Antaki concurs: “Rakitic and Rafinha look much more youthful, energetic, mobile and athletic than Xavi. And taller. But not as good.”
Peep! And we’re off again, Celta getting us underway. No changes from either side.
Half-time: Barcelona 0-0 Celta Vigo
As anticipated, this hasn’t been so easy for Barcelona, who have been wasteful at times but Celta have been well drilled, and not without ambition themselves. Back in a bit.
45 mins: Messi and Suarez attempt a one-two after the former darts into the box and lays the ball off to his right but Suarez’s cut-back is well intercepted.
43 mins: Brilliant goalkeeping from Sergio, after Mathieu’s long ball forward is deflected into the path of Neymar, who gets clear on goal but his shot is saved well low to his left by the keeper, who palms it away towards the by-line and it’s cleared before a corner is conceded.
43 mins: Chance for Suarez. Messi scampers down the left and cuts it back for the Uruguayan, whose firm low left-footed shot is saved by Sergio.
42 mins: Nolito, who is looking full of guile, sends a clever low pass into the penalty area for Hernandez but he can’t quite control it and Barça clear.
39 mins: Celta try to reassert themselves again through Larrivey’s surging run but there are two many Barca shirts in the way. But the visitors’ brief spell of possession is ended as Barcelona break through Neymar, Dani Alves eventually gets space to cross on the right but is ball in is really poor and easily gathered.
37 mins: Messi has to go deep for the ball and forages forward before feeding Rafinha, who lays it off to Neymar but he’s tackled and it goes out for a throw. Barça keep pressing, Celta keep repelling.
34 mins: Suarez switches sides and finds some space on the left and sends a teasing drifting cross into the box for the onrushing Messi but his header is misdirected and over the bar. Barcelona are properly on top for the first time in the match now.
Updated
32 mins: Off the bar: Neymar gets forward, is tackled but it falls straight to Messi, who looks certain to score but his shot is deflected onto the bar by Jonny and cleared. That was excellent last-gasp defending in truth.
Updated
31 mins: A poor goalkick from Sergio gives Messi a chance, and the No10 beats two before being closed down. But Messi gets another chance within a minute when Neymar cuts it back to him but the Argentine’s left-foot shot is brilliantly turned behind by Sergio.
29 mins: Celta win another corner, when Dani Alves heads behind under pressure from Nolito, but Barça win a free-kick after a bit of nudging in the box.
28 mins: Half-chance for Celta: Nolito’s cross from the left is flicked back to Larrivey, who swivels deftly to create a chance but Jordi Alba blocks the shot and it’s a corner. From which there’s a full-chance for Celta, a free header that Hernandez sends straight at Bravo.
Updated
26 mins: Celta are closing down Messi well, which is preventing Barça’s Star Three from combining too often, and are seeing more of the ball further forward too. Stroll in the park this ain’t.
24 mins: Celta get a chance to knock it around a bit in Barca’s half, with Krohn-Dehli and Orellano looking to create openings, but are pushed back again. Neymar surges forward, finds Messi who in turn picks out Suarez on the right but his pull-back for an imaginary Dani Alves allows Celta to get forward again themselves but their break peters out.
Bayern have beaten Dortmund 2-1 by the way.
22 mins: Rafinha’s looking spritely for Barcelona in central areas. He wins another free-kick on the halfway line, but from it Messi is again thwarted and Celta break through Krohn-Dehli and Nolito on the left, who wins a corner, which is cleared.
Updated
20 mins: Dani Alves rampages forward but into a brick wall, it rebounds back to Messi eventually, but the Argentine can’t beat his man either and has to settle for a corner, from which Celta push Barça back.
“Should be a walk in the park for Barca tonight,” reckons John McInerny, “this will be a good opportunity for Suarez to get off the mark. The only worry is that this group of FCB players(Xavi, AI, Messi)are not really use to playing with a out & out number 9 which Suarez is, not since Eto’o was there more or less 6 years ago.” Not sure a game against a side unbeaten away could be described as a “walk in the park” - a brisk, bracing stroll with a view to catching an earlier train, perhaps.
17 mins: Nolito wins a free-kick for Celta on the edge of the box after being fouled by Mascherano. But the Celta No10 curls his free-kick over the bar - too high, too weak.
16 mins: Suarez wins a corner on the right after a lovely nutmeg of Larrivey. Lakitic’s corner is headed clear by Larrivey. Barca build again and Suarez tries to squeeze past two defenders on the other side of the box but is thwarted.
14 mins: Booking: Busquets takes a whack in the mouth during an aerial challenge and Pablo Hernandez is booked, somewhat harshly, though it did look initially look like an elbow.
13 mins: Celta are playing a decent passing game here, if only it wasn’t only in their own half. Good pressing from Barcelona.
11 mins: Off the bar! Messi finds Suarez after a 30-yard break but the Uruguayan wastes both chances at a cross that he gets but Celta can only clear as far as Neymar, who curls a sumptuous shot onto the top of the bar.
9 mins: Celta break, Nolito cuts into the area from the left, but isn’t sure whether to play a pass to a team-mate or go it alone, so just ends up knocking it tamely to no one in particular and Barça clear.
8 mins: Mallo concedes a free-kick for going into the back of Neymar. Rakitic’s free-kick almost drops for Rafinha, it’s hacked clear back to Rakitic whose cross finds Neymar who sends a free header straight at the keeper. He probably should have done better there.
7 mins: Rafinha finds Suarez, who skips past one challenge, and sends Neymar through with a lovely weighted pass but Neymar’s effort is easily blocked.
5 mins: Suarez gets clear down the right but overhits his cross to Neymar, who has to scamper back and knock it back to Rafinha but his ball forward is gathered by Sergio in goal.
4 mins: Barça sloppily concede a throw in their own half, but Celta waste it, but they look eager to press forward when they can.
3 mins: Barca dominate possession early on, including a neat Suarez lay-off to Neymar, but Celta keep their shape. No chances yet though, as Celta’s rearguard manage to clear when Barca get too close.
Peep! And we’re underway. Barcelona kick off.
The teams are out: Much attention, and discussion, is inevitably focused on how Suarez, Messi and Neymar will combine in their first, what you might call run of the mill, matches, though Celta’s Nolito is currently well worth watching from an attacking point of view, if they can get the ball to him enough. Though they are a team Luis Enrique, their former manager, knows well of course.
Updated
Full-time in Madrid: Atletico have beaten Cordoba 4-2 in what looked a vibrant and entertaining game from out of the corner of my eye. This dumps Barça into third place for the moment. Kick-off in the Camp Nou is 10 minutes away.
One more goal in the Vicente Calderon: A consolation for Cordoba, Ghilas scoring his second of the night. 4-2.
Goals! Atletico Madrid are now 4-1 up against Cordoba, Mario Manduzkic and Raul Garcia with the third and fourth goals for the champions. So they, too, will climb above Barça before kick-off in the Camp Nou.
And here are those Celta subs in full: Rubén, Costas, Borja Fernández, Madinda, Álex López, Santi Mina, Charles.
The teams are in: Suarez starts, as expected, alongside Mesi and Neymar.
Barcelona: Bravo; Rakitic, Sergio, Rafinha, Alba, Alves, Mathieu, Mascherano, Suárez, Messi, Neymar. Subs: Ter Stegen, Bartra, Sergi Roberto, Xavi, Pedro, Munir, Adriano.
Celta Vigo: Sergio; Mallo, Sergi Gomez, Cabral, Jonny; Krohn-Dehli, Radoja, Pablo Hernandez, Orellana, Larrivey, Nolit.
Celta subs to follow when we get them.
Goal! No sooner do I type that than Griezmann puts Atletico back in front with a firm near-post header.
News from elsewhere: Cordoba have just equalised at the Vicente Calderon to peg back Atlético Madrid, who had taken the lead in the first half through Antoine Griezmann. Nabil Ghilas was the visitors’ goalscorer. While in Munich, Dortmund have taken a surprise lead against Bayern through Marco Reus.
Preamble
Good evening everyone, and let’s hunker down to talk about Luis Suarez’s home debut. Although we’ve all been talking Suarez for a couple of weeks now, and in some depth, whether it’s his omission from the Ballon d’Or shortlist, or the Uruguayan explaining himself in some detail to our esteemed interviewer Simon Hattenstone. So as it’s a team game after all, let’s look perhaps at the overall circumstances in which our man makes his La Liga bow at Camp Nou. Barça were top of the table this morning, as they so often are, but the mood is a tad subdued after last week’s chastening defeat by Real Madrid, who jumped above them in the table earlier this afternoon with a thumping 4-0 victory at Granada.
Indeed, the emphatic nature of that 3-1 Real victory has prompted talk of a serious shift in the balance of power between the Two Hugest Clubs In The World Ever, back in the direction of the Spanish capital. Certainly, Barça lacked the vim of their rivals last week and Luis Enrique will need a strong response from his team tonight.
It won’t be that easy though. Celta have started strongly, are unbeaten on the road, and are looking upbeat again after testing times, on and off the pitch. Their keeper Sergio Alvarez will be kept busy tonight but the 28-year-old is enjoying a fine season thus far. It’s good to see a little revival in the fortunes of Galicia’s clubs; Celta’s recent improvement stirs memories of their late 90s/early 2000s purple patch, when they did things like pick off Liverpool in style.
Earlier today, meanwhile, Real Madrid maintained their hot streak with a comfortable win at Granada. James Rodriguez got two, and Cristiano Ronaldo and Kerim Benzema the others. And, in other Big European News, you can follow the latest from Bayern Munich v Borussia Dortumund with Nick Ames’s MBM report here.
