Barcelona 2 Celta Vigo 2: Wasteful host drops first points at home in a year

Maxi Gomez's equaliser secured Celta Vigo a point at Camp Nou, with Barcelona dropping points at home for the first time in a year.

Published : Dec 02, 2017 20:11 IST

Paulinho orchestrated proceedings for the Catalan giant from midfield
Paulinho orchestrated proceedings for the Catalan giant from midfield
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Paulinho orchestrated proceedings for the Catalan giant from midfield

Barcelona dropped points at home in La Liga for the first time since December 2016 on Saturday, as Celta Vigo left Camp Nou with a battling 2-2 draw thanks to Maxi Gomez's equaliser.

Ernesto Valverde's men looked good value for all three points when Luis Suarez put them 2-1 up just after the hour mark. But Gomez struck soon after to ensure Barca drew a second successive league match following the 1-1 stalemate with Valencia last weekend at the Estadio Mestalla.

Iago Aspas gave Celta the lead, punishing Barca's slow start by rounding off an electric counter-attack with an easy finish, but that only seemed to bring the home side to life.

Lionel Messi restored parity soon after with a clever finish, before also hitting the post as Barca took charge.

Read: Messi wants to end career at Barcelona

The host had to wait to take full advantage of its superiority again, but it eventually went ahead just after the hour mark, with Suarez rounding off a fine move to become one of the 10 leading scorers in the club's history.

Gomez drew Celta level, though, and ultimately secured the visitor a point despite the home side's late pressure, giving the chasing pack hope of gaining on Barca at the top of the table this weekend.

Although Barca afforded Celta few opportunities to attack in the early stages, the home side lacked urgency in the final third and appeared to be coasting. It was then carved open by the visitors in the 20th minute.

Match centre

Aspas was released in behind the Barca defence on the right, charged into the area and squared to Gomez, whose initial effort was brilliantly saved by Marc-Andre ter Stegen, only for the Uruguayan's strike partner to knock in the rebound.

But that goal seemed to be exactly what Barca needed, as it raised its intensity and levelled within two minutes – Messi firing through Ruben Blanco's legs after Suarez stepped over Paulinho's defence-splitting pass.

Barca attacks started to come thick and fast, and Celta had to rely on the post to save them just after the thirty-minute mark, as Messi charged into the penalty area and shot against the left upright from a tight angle.

The host's dominance continued into the second half and Paulinho should have put Barca ahead shortly after the restart, shooting into the side-netting after skipping past Ruben.

 

Celta did not get lucky in the 62nd minute, however. Messi picked out Jordi Alba's run on the left side of the area with a sublime pass, and the full-back squared to Suarez for a straightforward finish.

But the lead given by Suarez did not last long. 

Aspas took full advantage of Samuel Umtiti pulling up with an injury and darted up the flank, before dragging a pass back to Gomez, who beat Ter Stegen in confidently.

Barca piled men forward in search of a late goal and almost got one through Gerard Pique, but the centre-back hit the post despite dribbling past Ruben.

And then Messi inexplicably sent a free header wide of the mark four minutes from time, as Celta held on for a positive result.

Last-gasp Griezmann winner cuts gap to Barca

Antoine Griezmann scored a dramatic winner with two minutes remaining as Atletico Madrid salvaged a 2-1 comeback victory over Real Sociedad.

MATCH CENTRE

The France international did not celebrate against his former club as Atletico continued its unbeaten start to the league season and closed the deficit to Barcelona to six points.

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