Gabri Veiga inspired Celta Vigo to La Liga survival, with his brace enough to earn a 2-1 victory over Barcelona and secure another season of top flight football for the Sky Blues.
Knowing only a victory would guarantee staying up, the hosts largely dominated the chances in the first half, although their collective hearts skipped a beat when Franck Kessie put the ball in the back of the net, only for the goal to be ruled out by VAR for a tight offside.
At the other end, Celta had a whole host of openings, the best of them wasted by Carlos Perez and Oscar Rodriguez, before they took the lead just before the break when Veiga was played in by Haris Seferovic and found the bottom corner from inside the box.
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That strike came moments after Robert Lewandowski had hit the post, the closest Barca would come in the first half, and they continued to struggle in the final third after the break.
Indeed, Carlos Carvalhal’s side doubled their lead when Veiga netted his second, although there was more than a hint of fortune about his miss-hit shot that bounced in off the post.
There was time for a twist, as Ansu Fati nodded home Ousmane Dembele’s brilliant cross to pull one back, but Celta already had enough of a lead to pick up the points they needed for survival.
TALKING POINT – Celta live to fight another day
Celta Vigo were on the cusp of the European places only a couple of months ago, but a horrific run of one win in 11 outings meant only a victory on the final day of the season would guarantee their La Liga status.
That never looked in doubt though as they put in a superb display against the Spanish champions, creating a string of chances while defending stoutly at the other end.
They will now enter a 12th successive season in the top flight, but questions remain over the future of Carlos Carvalhal, who is under pressure following the bleak spring form.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH
Gabri Veiga (Celta Vigo). The homegrown forward was already a hero at Balaidos, but he wrote himself into Celta Vigo folklaw with a famous brace to keep them up.
The 21-year old, whose dip in form coincided with Celta’s bad run, was a constant attacking threat, and took his first goal with a composed fashion that belied his age and experience.
He ran himself into the ground, and eventually left the field in tears when substituted on 70-minutes, with this likely to be his final appearance for the club before moving to pastures new this summer, with suitors from across Europe reportedly eying a transfer.
Gabri Veiga of RC Celta celebrates after scoring the team’s first goal during the LaLiga Santander match between RC Celta and FC Barcelona at Estadio Balaidos on June 04, 2023 in Vigo, Spain. (Photo by Octavio Passos/Getty Images)
Image credit: Getty Images
PLAYER RATINGS
CELTA VIGO: Villar 7; Mingueza 7, Dominguez 6, Nunez 6, Galan 7; Veiga 8, Beltran 7, Oscar Rodriguez 7; Perez 7, Seferovic 7, de la Torre 7. Subs: Vazquez 6, Tapia 6, Cervi 6, Aspas n/a
BARCELONA: ter Stegen 6; Roberto 6, Kounde 6, Christensen 6, Alonso 6; Kessie 6, Garcia 5, de Jong 6; Raphinha 6, Lewandowski 5, Torres 5. Subs: Gavi 6, Dembele 7, Fati 7, Pena n/a, Torre n/a
KEY MOMENTS
12’ GOAL RULED OUT! The Celta fans are silenced as Franck Kessie confidently converts from inside the area, but it’s ruled out by VAR due to a tight offside
40’ LEWANDOWSKI HITS THE POST. The Polish international is allowed to cut in from the left flank and he curls a terrific effort towards the far post, only for the ball to brush the woodwork. That was close.
42’ GOAL RULED OUT! Celta have the ball in the back of the net through Oscar Rodriguez, but he was offside when the initial shot – spilled by ter Stegen – was struck by de la Torre
42’ GOAL! CELTA VIGO 1-0 BARCLEONA (Gabri Veiga) Wow! Balaidos erupts as Celta take the lead! The forward is played in from Seferovic, drifts into the box and strokes a low shot into the far bottom corner. What a moment!
65’ GOAL! CELTA VIGO 2-0 BARCELONA (Gabri Veiga) It’s a complete fluke, but Celta Vigo don’t care whatsoever! The man who got the first doubles his tally for the night as a miss-hit cross floats over Pena, hits the post and bounces in
79’ GOAL! CELTA VIGO 2-1 BARCELONA (Ansu Fati) It’s not all over yet! The substitute Fati concerts from Dembele’s stunning cross, nodding home from inside the six yard box
KEY STATS
- Celta Vigo pick up just their second victory in the last eight head-to-heads against Barcelona
- Barcelona finish the second with just one win from their final five away games, losing twice
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