MADRID, Nov. 2 (Xinhua) -- FC Barcelona have another chance to make Real Madrid suffer for a short while at least when they entertain Celta Vigo on Saturday night.
Barca know that a win, which would be their ninth in 10 games, against the side that returned to the Primera Liga this season would put them 11 points ahead of Real Madrid, who kick off their game against Zaragoza just after Barca should have finished theirs.
Obviously the three points would make it imperative for Madrid to win their game in order to avoid seeing the league title disappear into the distance.
Barca coach Tito Vilanova will still be without central defenders Carles Puyol and Gerard Pique for the game. Puyol should be fit for the trip to Mallorca next weekend, while Pique has begun training with the first team squad after almost six weeks out with a twisted ankle. Pique could possibly play if needed, but with youngster Marc Bartra having proved his worth in the past two weeks, there is not such a rush to have Pique available again.
Bartra will probably be on the bench against Celta as Vilanova keeps faith with the Javier Mascherano, Alex Song partnership which performed well away to Rayo Vallecano last weekend, while Adriano has also shown he can play in the middle if needed.
There is a question over whether Dani Alves ot Martin Montoya will play on Saturday, as Montoya has performed well at right back during Alves' absence through injury.
Vilanova will have one eye on his side's Champions League trip to Glasgow in midweek, where a win will assure a place in the last 16 of the competition. With Sergio Busquets suspended in Europe, he will certainly play in central midfield, while Xavi Hernandez will probably partner him along with Cesc Fabrigas, who is in his best form since arriving at the club.
As usual Leo Messi will lead the attack, while Pedro Rodriguez will be partnered by either Christian Tello or David Villa in the other attacking roles.
Celta travel after a Cup disappointment away to second division Almeria and after having lost all four away games in the Primera Liga this season. Paco Herrera favors an attacking style of play and if he remains true to that in the Camp Nou, we should see plenty of goals, but most of them will probably be for Barca.
|
