Barcelona’s Balaidos curse – Only three away wins vs Celta Vigo in the last decade

Barcelona have been practically unstoppable this season under Hansi Flick, suffering only three defeats across all competitions, most recently against Real Sociedad just before the international break.

Seated atop the La Liga standings, the Blaugrana will next face off against Celta Vigo after the international window away at Balaidos.

Not a happy hunting ground

However, as Hansi Flick & co. prepare themselves for the trip to Galicia in a week, their record at Balaidos in recent history does not inspire a whole lot of confidence.

Indeed, Celta Vigo have historically fared well against Barcelona at home. In fact, of the Catalans’ last ten visits to Balaidos, they have only claimed victory on three occasions.

Celta emerged victorious in four matches, whilst the remaining three ended in draws. And it is something that Flick & co. will be eager to set right.

Barça have not been very successful at Balaidos in the past decade. (Photo by Octavio Passos/Getty Images)

Last season, Barcelona won 1-2 against Celta at Balaidos through a penalty converted by Robert Lewandowski seven minutes past the ninety-minute mark, when everything pointed towards a final draw.

Prior to that, the Blaugrana defeated Celta back in October 2020, with Ansu Fati scoring in a 3-0 victory.

The third victory in the last decade for Barça against Celta at Balaidos came all the way back in September 2015 – a 1-0 win.

Meanwhile, Celta’s most recent victory against Barcelona at Balaidos occurred less than a year and a half ago.

On 4 June 2023, the Galician outfit was fighting for survival whilst Barcelona had already secured the La Liga title. The match ended in a 2-1 victory for the hosts, with Gabri Veiga scoring both of Celta’s goals.

This year, Claudio Giráldez’s Celta Vigo side has shown reliability at Balaidos. They have won four matches, drawn one, and lost two against top teams – Real Madrid and Atlético, though they deserved better fortune in both cases.

As such, the trip to Balaidos will be a tricky test for Hansi Flick and his brigade right after the international break, especially with some fitness concerns surrounding key players.