Celta de Vigo v Barcelona Live Commentary, 04/01/2018
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Key Events
31'
P. Sisto
Goal
26'
Fontàs
Yellow Card
15'
André Gomes
Assist
15'
José Arnáiz
Goal
0
1
0
0
Stats
Possession
%%
2
2
Shots Off Target
Shots On Target11
Total Passes 298231
Commentary
46' We're back underway in this Copa del Rey clash.
It's all square at the break in the first leg of this Copa de Rey clash between Celta Vigo and Barcelona. Jose Arnaiz put the Catalan club ahead against the run of play, but Pione Sisto equalised for the home side with a powerful strike. Both sides have had good chances since, leaving the match evenly poised this evening.
HALF-TIME: CELTA VIGO 1-1 BARCELONA
45' The referee ends the first half.
45' Suarez makes a good challenge in the final third and Gomes pounces on the loose ball. He raids to the edge of the box before firing at goal, only to blast his effort well over the bar.
42' CHANCE! Space opens for Paulinho to shoot from distance and he goes for the strike. His effort takes a deflection off Sanchez and travels just past the post, although Alvarez may have had it covered.
41' WIDE! Wass tries to catch Cillessen unaware low to his right as he strikes from distance, but his effort goes just past the post.
40' Wass raids to the edge of the box and slides a pass into the feet of Sisto. He leaves his team-mate with a lot to do, but the winger beats the challenge of Semedo before the defender comes in with a recovery challenge.
38' Barcelona are losing their composure in possession as Suarez gifts the ball back to the home side.
37' Jonny breaks down the left and tries to go for the blast from the edge of the box, but a strong tackle from Semedo stops his progress.
34' Paulinho looks for a quick release of Arnaiz into the right inside channel, but the winger mistimes his run and is caught offside.
33' Celta deserve their equaliser they've been the better side this evening and have finally found their clinical edge.
P. Sisto
Goal
31' GOALLLLLLLLLL!!!!!! CELTA ARE LEVEL! The home side are back on level terms. They hit the visitors on the counter as Sisto breaks down the left. He slides a pass to Aspas, who tees up Lobotka for a strike. His effort is blocked into Maxi Gomez, who finds Aspas unmarked in the middle. On the stretch the winger crashes his effort into the bar and the ball bounces back off Cillessen. The Barca defence appeal for offside, but Sisto gathers and from a tight angle hammers his strike into the net. A brilliant effort from the Celta man.
31' Gomes surges forward through the middle of the park and looks for the offload down the left inside channel for Digne, but he overhits his pass out of play.
29' Valverde will not be thrilled with his side's performance thus far, but they're doing enough to keep the home side at bay. Without his key men in the final third, taking an early lead will ease the pressure on the Catalan club.
27' Sisto latches on to a ball behind the Barca defence on the byline down the left inside channel. He loops a cross into the box for Maxi Gomez to head at goal, but Pique clears ahead of the forward.
Fontàs
Yellow Card
26' Fontas slides through the back of Arnaiz and goes into the book.
24' Unzue will be frustrated with the scoreline at the moment. His side have dominated possession, but their one lapse at the back has handed Barca the advantage. That will play into the visitors' hands the longer Celta go without finding parity.
22' Maxi Gomez bundles Pique off the ball in the final third. However, Wass and Sisto cannot combine to break open the Barca defence further and the home side are forced backwards.
20' Aspas probes down the left with a weaving run and he has support in the box. The winger tries to force the ball across the face of goal, but Pique makes an important interception.
17' Celta cannot let the Barca goal affect their confidence. They were playing well, but a loose pass in the final third from Wass allowed the visitors to break down the left and expose them on the counter.
André Gomes
Assist
15' Gomes surges down the left flank and fires a good cross into the box that Arnaiz slots home.
José Arnáiz
Goal
15' GOALLLLLLLL!!!! ARNAIZ FIRES HOME! Barcelona take the lead as the winger converts Gomes' low cross into the box at the back post. Gomes raided down the left flank and just managed to get an inch of space on Mallo to fire the ball across the face of goal. Arnaiz made a run to get in front of his man and he steered his effort into the bottom corner, leaving Alvarez with no chance.
14' Celta have started the contest well and are asking questions of Valverde's men in the final third.
12' Wass directs another teasing ball over the top of the visitors' backline. However, on this occasion it travels out of play as Sisto tried to latch on to the pass.
11' Barca break with Vidal down the right and he slides a pass down the inside channel for Semedo. The full-back lifts the ball into the area for Gomes to attack, but the Portuguese can only guide his headed effort over the bar.
9' WIDE! Celta win a free-kick on the right and although Barca clear the first cross the ball deflects to Maxi Gomez on the edge of the box. The striker pulls the trigger on a right-footed strike, but Pique diverts it behind for a corner.
8' CHANCE! Wass lifts a great ball over the top of the Barca defence for the run of Aspas. The forward takes the ball in stride, but before he can shoot Semedo comes across to make a brilliant challenge to stop his strike.
7' Unzue's men have settled into the contest and are moving the ball well across the pitch.
5' The home side waste the opening as Sisto's low ball into the box is cleared with ease by Gomes.
4' Sisto finds space again down the left and he releases the run of Jonny to the byline. The full-back lifts a cross to the back post and Digne is forced to head behind for a corner.
3' Suarez raids into the box down the left flank and he tries to cut the ball back into the middle under pressure, but the Celta defence clear the danger.
2' The home side move the ball with pace into the final third, but a poor first touch from Sisto allows Barca to get back in numbers.
1' We're underway in this Copa del Rey clash.
FLASHBACK! In their meeting earlier this season, Barca and Celta played out a 2-2 draw at the Camp Nou as strikes from Aspas and Maxi Gomez cancelled out a brace from Messi.
Valverde opts to leave Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez out of his side, with neither player even selected for the bench this evening. Jose Arnaiz leads the line through the middle as Paco Alcacer has not recovered from injury. Denis Suarez and Aleix Vidal support Arnaiz in the final third. Andres Iniesta is also left out of the team with Andre Gomes replacing him in the middle of the park. Nelson Semedo and Lucas Digne take their place in the back four, while Jasper Cillessen starts between the sticks.
Celta defeated Deportivo La Coruna in their last contest before the winter break in LaLiga by a 3-1 margin. However, Unzue has made three changes to his side from the team that signed off on a high note. Sergio Alvarez comes into the side between the sticks, while Andreu Fontas and Jozabed Sanchez also come into the fold.
Barcelona subs: Ter Stegen, Rakitic, Dembele, Mascherano, Alba, Sergi Roberto, Alena.
The team news has been announced and we'll start with the home side.
Barcelona eased past Real Murcia in the last round, winning by a margin of eight goals over the course of the tie. Ernesto Valverde's men left their LaLiga campaign on a high note before the break by defeating Real Madrid in El Clasico. The Catalan club will be determined to continue their momentum with a strong performance to secure their place in the last eight of the competition.
Celta Vigo edged past Eibar in the last round of the competition, recording a 3-1 aggregate win, although they needed a late penalty from Iago Aspas to see off their opponents' threat in the second leg. The Celestes have never won the Copa del Rey, but have been runners-up on three occasions, last reaching the the final in the 2000-01 season.
Good evening and welcome to the live commentary of the Copa del Rey clash between Celta Vigo and Barcelona at the Balaidos.
Commentary