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Barcelona kicked off their 2020-21 La Liga campaign with a resounding 4-0 victory over Villarreal. Lionel Messi followed up Ansu Fati's brace with a goal from the spot before Pau Torres' own goal put the result beyond doubt at the stroke of half-time.
Now, on paper, travelling to take on a club that escaped relegation by the skin of their teeth last season should seem like easy work for Ronald Koeman and co. However, this is a fixture that has proved to be a lot more testing than most for Barcelona.
On that note, let's take a look at five reasons why Barcelona are set to have a tough time against Celta Vigo tonight.
#5 Absence of key players will reduce bench strength
As per the latest reports, Junior Firpo is likely to miss out due to a hamstring issue. Samuel Umtiti continues to be sidelined and Marc-Andre ter Stegen is a long-term absentee. Neto has been guarding the sticks for the Blaugrana so far.
Junior Firpo's absence will reduce the number of options at Koeman's disposal as well. To make things worse, Ousmane Dembele is currently linked with an exit with various reports claiming that Barcelona are also keen on sending him away to furnish funds and make way for the arrival of Memphis Depay from Olympique Lyon.
With only a few days remaining in the transfer window, Manchester United have now been linked with Dembele and the ongoing saga might unsettle him. If that's the case then Barcelona will have to do with a bench that they is far too short on experience to make a difference when called upon.
#4 Barcelona's awful away form and Celta Vigo's green patch
Barcelona won their first match at home quite comfortably against Villarreal. That's not unusual because the Catalans have been pretty good at the Camp Nou. However, they have kept an awful away record ever since the days of Ernesto Valverde.
Despite the lack of crowds and the hostile atmospheres at away fixtures in the Covid landscape, the Cules have struggled on the road. They have, time and again, failed to take the lead in games away from home and whenever they have, they have struggled to keep it.
Meanwhile, Celta Vigo are unbeaten in three games so far this season and have beaten Valencia at home already. Celta Vigo have now gone four games unbeaten in the La Liga and that's their second longest undefeated run in the last three seasons.
#3 Historically tough fixture
This has been a historically tough fixture to negotiate for the Cules. They have consistently struggled to walk away from the Estadio de Balaidos with a win and ended up drawing 2-2 in the corresponding fixture last season.
Barcelona have failed to win in any of their last five visits to Balaidos and their last away win against Celta Vigo came in 2015 under Luis Enrique. Celta Vigo have won three of their last five fixtures at home against Barcelona.
They have also been solid at home in the recent past and have lost just two of their last 13 games at home. These are not good signs for Barcelona.
#2 Barcelona still unsettled after tough summer
It's been a summer and a half for Barcelona. Quique Setien was replaced by Ronald Koeman as the long-term manager. Lionel Messi requested the club to let him leave after falling out with the board and they sold their striker Luis Suarez to title-rivals Atletico Madrid.
Stuck with an ageing squad and a lot of financial difficulties, the only big signing that Barcelona were able to make was that of Miralem Pjanic's. But in signing the 30-year-old, they lost Arthur Melo to Juventus. They've also sold big players like Ivan Rakitic, Nelson Semedo, Arturo Vidal among several others.
Lionel Messi had recently voiced his disagreement with how Luis Suarez was seen off from the club but he has also called for the team to come together and fight this season. This is a side that's going to test out a lot of things and experimentation always runs the risk of failure.
#1 Fluid Celta Vigo frontline could cause problems to slow Barcelona defence
Emre Mor's return from two back-to-back loan spells at Galatasaray and Olympiacos has definitely bolstered Celta Vigo's attack. Iago Aspas has been in solid form for Celta Vigo so far and has scored three goals from three appearances this season.
New signing Nolito complements both Mor and Iago Aspas quite well and they will definitely cause some problems to the slow Barcelona defence. Both Pique and Clement Lenglet are slow with their movement. Sergi Roberto is expected to start at right-back and while he is good with the ball at his feet, he is not a very pacy customer.
