Xavi Hernández warned before the match that he would not rotate against Celta thinking about Wednesday’s Champions League match against Naples, but the Barça coach finally opted to bring on Vitor Roque instead of Ilkay Gündogan in addition to the foreseeable novelty of Ronald Araújo replacing Iñigo Martínez.
The Brazilian striker was not available in the previous match against Granada, which ended in a disappointing draw for the Blaugrana, because he was carrying a sanction due to his expulsion, following an unfair second yellow card, against Alavés. Roque, who recently arrived in January, has two goals for Barça, against the Vitorians and the one in the victory against Osasuna.
The entry of the forward, combined with the departure of Gündogan, causes Barça to dispense with a fourth midfielder and opt for three forwards. Vitor Roque, who will play on the left, will form the offensive line along with Robert Lewandowski and Lamine Yamal, the best of the Catalan team in recent games.
For his part, Araújo will partner in the center of defense with Pau Cubarsí, who has been a starter for four games. The Uruguayan, a stronghold in the Blaugrana defense, must provide more security at the back in a Barcelona team that has conceded 50 goals in 35 games, records that have nothing to do with a candidate for the League title.
In this way, Barça presents the following eleven against Celta with the intention of reducing, with one more match, the difference with respect to Madrid, before the match to ten points: Ter Stegen, Koundé, Araújo, Cubarsí, Cancelo, Christensen, De Jong, Pedri, Lamine Yamal, Vitor Roque and Lewandowski.
For his part, the local coach, Rafa Benítez, has finally ruled out starting with three centre-backs and is opting for a 4-4-2 with Iago Aspas as the starter. The Galicians will take to the Balaídos grass with the following lineup: Guaita, Mingueza, Starfelt, Carlos Domínguez, Ristic, Tapia, Beltrán, Luca de la Torre, Allende, Aspas and Larsen.
