Celta Vigo 2-0 Barcelona: Five talking points | LaLiga 2018-19

Celta Vigo hosted Barcelona on Matchday 36 of the LaLiga 18-19. Having already sealed the title, Barcelona considered this more of a sleeping pill than a competitive fixture as it showed from their lineup.

Having already edged Liverpool, more like sailed past them, Barcelona rested their core team completely.

Gerard Pique, Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets, Ivan Rakitic, Jordi Alba, all were left out of the squad to travel to Balaidos.

Relegation threatened Celta were facing Barcelona but they rather breathed a sigh of relief seeing the team that Valverde fielded.

Riqui Puig, Alena, and Arthur were the midfield trio. Thomas Vermaelen and Moussa Wague were deployed as fullbacks with Kevin-Prince Boateng leading the lines.

After a scoreless first half, Celta opened the scoring in the 67th minute. Maxi Gomez put the ball past Cillessen off a cross from Boudebouz. Iago Aspas doubled the lead in the 87th minute with a penalty kick, gifted by Moussa Wague's handball.

The loss means little or nothing in the context of the title race for Barcelona as they have already won it by a comfortable margin. However, this means a lot in the relegation battle where Celta is now 5 points clear from the relegation zone.

Here are five talking points from the game.

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#5 Celta given a lifeline by Barcelona's second-string team

Collado made his first appearance with Barcelona's first team. Every sign of a second-string side

It was not an unexpected result by any means. Barcelona, having played a fiery and feisty encounter with Liverpool mid-week, was in no mood to put the players through another 90 minutes.

More so, because the league had already been sealed and Barcelona did not have any egos about maintaining their undefeated streak.

Celta would have been hoping to see this kind of lineup. They are in no condition to defeat Barcelona's first team and that would have hurt them in the relegation battle.

Despite the win, they might only be two points clear off Valladolid if they win, are separated with Levante only on goal difference. This win might still no be enough to save them from relegation but it sure gives them a fighting chance.

While if they had lost, Girona and Valladolid would have overtaken them in the points table.

#4 Dembele's hamstring discomfort: Deja Vu for Barcelona?

Deportivo Alaves v FC Barcelona - La Liga

Ernesto Valverde's team lined up with a front three of Malcom, Prince, and Dembele. It was just six minutes on the clock when Ousmane Dembele felt discomfort in his legs and sat with a slight grimace on his face. The gaffer decided not to gamble with the youngster and took him off quickly to give Alex Collado a debut in LaLiga.

This is a really concerning thing for Barcelona. They looked at Dembele as the replacement of Neymar when they landed him. The price was not a small one as the Blaugrana paid a hefty fee to Borussia Dortmund to land him.

However, ever since he came into the side, we have lost count of how many discomforts he has felt in the legs. He missed almost the entirety of the last season with the hamstring injury.

The start to this season was a bright one but it was brought to a halt again by a hamstring discomfort and now again he feels the same thing.

While people might compare him to Gareth Bale, Marco Reus, players whose careers were ruined by injuries, we would like to think different. When we saw a 19-year-old Lionel Messi play, he also suffered from constant discomforts in the hamstring and look where he is now.

Hopefully, Ousmane turns out to be something close to Messi rather than a next Reus, because he certainly cannot replicate what Messi has done. Deja Vu anyone?

#3 Jean-Clair Todibo should stay but still, de Ligt is more than welcome

RC Celta de Vigo v FC Barcelona - La Liga

There has been a big commotion over Barcelona's center-back choices. Right now, Gerard Pique and Clement Lenglet are the automatic choices into the starting 11.

Barcelona brought Todibo into the team during the winter transfer window and they have an option to buy him. Being right-footed the ideal spot for him is to play as backup to Gerard Pique.

Then, Matthijs de Ligt is also been under the club's radar for quite a long time. His Golden Boy award and recent performances are not going unnoticed and the fans want him among the Blaugrana ranks.

Since Todibo too has been good in whatever small time he has played, the club is not willing to let him go. So, people think there are two choices for the club. Either let Umtiti go and bring de Ligt in, or do not bring de Ligt in at all, both of which are bad choices according to logic.

Clement Lenglet has been performing beyond expectations but people forget that Samuel Umtiti is actually a great center back too. Letting him leave is a grave mistake because someone like him won't be available in general or they would cost a fortune.

We understand that bringing de Ligt in is important but he doesn't contradict with Umtiti staying. de Ligt, Todibo, and Pique are right-footed while Umtiti and Lenglet are left-footed.

Once Pique has to leave which will be after about one more season, then Barcelona can have Todibo and de Ligt in his position, while Umtiti and Lenglet fight it out for the other spot. It is a win-win.

We saw yesterday how good Todibo can be as we did against Huesca. Umtiti is rusty because he returned from an injury but he will find his groove. The defense didn't exactly click yesterday but it will eventually when both players get ample game time.

But the bottom line is that both Umtiti and Todibo should stay in the team, irrespective of de Ligt arriving.

#2 Maxi Gomez to Barcelona? Prince, the worst transfer in the club's history?

RC Celta de Vigo v FC Barcelona - La Liga

The first goal of the game came from Maxi Gomez's foot. The Uruguayan striker finished amazingly from the cross delivered by Boudebouz. The Celta Vigo No.9 showed tremendous work rate in the game and came close to scoring on more than one occasion.

He had four shots on goal, one of which eventually went in. Also, he won six aerial duels against the likes of Samuel Umtiti, Thomas Vermaelen, and Todibo, all tall and strong defenders.

Maxi Gomez is highly mobile, is a clinical finisher, still only 22. With Luis Suarez slowly losing his Midas touch, it is time the club looks for a replacement and why not this kid? Uruguayan, good passer, good work-rate, clinical finishing.

In glaring contrast, Kevin-Prince Boateng was absolutely horrendous. It is not an exaggeration when we say his first touch is heavier than a grizzly bear. All Prince possesses is some physicality but other than that, he didn't even have an attempt at goal.

Prince doesn't work as hard as Luis Suarez, doesn't press, doesn't close down the passing lanes, nothing. It was yet another horror performance from him and hopefully, he returns to Sassuolo at the end of the season.

#1 Riqui Puig the shining star among other reserves

RC Celta de Vigo v FC Barcelona - La Liga

It is so good to watch Riqui Puig, amazing. The confidence he has on the ball is terrific, his passing is brilliant, his ball control is good, everything is good.

In a certainly glum performance from both attack and defense, the midfield trio shined bright with a gem among them. Riqui completed 63/67 attempted passes, a lot of which were in the forward direction.

He wasn't the only good thing for Barcelona. Moussa Wague was also spectacular at right-back. He made three tackles and also won an aerial.

This was at the defensive end while at the offense, he completed three dribbles, made 43/50 passes, creating three shot opportunities as well. The options Barcelona has in its reserve team is really good.

Even Collado was good to watch, even though not as spectacular as the other two, which is understood as both Wague and Riqui were playing in their natural positions.

It has to be said that Puig is more than ready to be promoted next season.