Celta Vigo vs Barcelona prediction 17.02.2024

• Competition: La Liga
• Date: Saturday, 17th February 2024
• Kickoff: 17:30 UK / 18:30 CET
• Venue: Estadio de Balaídos (Vigo)

Despite finishing 13th in La Liga last year, Celta Vigo’s performance was not as impressive as it seems, given they were just three points from relegation. The Sky Blues are currently struggling, sitting at 17th place &— just three points away from the danger zone. While many believe Celta are superior to the teams in the danger zone and it’s only a matter of time before they start accruing points, their performance has only deteriorated as the season has progressed. Following their game against Barca, they face two critical matches against Cadiz and Almeria, both relegation contenders.

Barcelona is struggling with financial issues and undergoing some form of transition. Despite winning the league title last year, it’s evident they’re not the same team they were a few years ago. This season, they’re gradually falling behind in the La Liga title race with Real Madrid, currently trailing by ten points. Furthermore, their domestic title prospects appear bleak after being eliminated from the Cup by Bilbao. The only current highlight is their performance in the UCL, where they’ve advanced to the knockout stage after two years of failing to reach this point. They’re set to face Napoli in the knockout stage, following their game against Celta.

Celta Vigo vs Barcelona pick: Over 2.5 goals

Celta Vigo’s performance has been dismal recently, having suffered four defeats in their last five matches across all competitions. Their offensive capabilities have been lackluster this season, managing a mere 26 goals in 24 La Liga games, averaging 1.083 goals per game. However, they have shown signs of improvement in their last two games, netting five goals against strong defensive sides, Getafe and Osasuna. Given Barcelona’s recent defensive struggles, it’s likely that Celta could bag at least one goal in the upcoming match at Estadio de Balaídos.

Barcelona is a top team in La Liga when it comes to over 2.5 goals bet, with at least three goals being scored in 62.5% of their games. They lead the league with an average of 3.5 goals per game. Recently, their offense has performed well, netting at least two goals in six of their last seven matches across all competitions. Therefore, the possibility of them scoring two or more goals against a floundering Celta Vigo is quite high. However, Barcelona’s defense has had some difficulties of late, managing to keep their opponents from scoring only once in their last eight games.

In the last head-to-head match in September, Barcelona secured a 3:2 win. Taking into account the previous head-to-head game and other factors, we anticipate a minimum of three goals in this match, with a high probability of both teams scoring.