Celta Vigo staged a dramatic comeback with two late goals to secure a 2-2 draw against La Liga leaders Barcelona at the Abanca Balaidos stadium.
Despite goals from Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski putting Barcelona in a strong position, a red card to Marc Casado in the 82nd minute opened the door for Celta’s late rally.
Alfonso Gonzalez took advantage of a Jules Kounde mistake to score in the 86th minute, and Hugo Alvarez equalized just two minutes later to snatch a point for the home side.
Barcelona, who have won 11 league games this season, struggled without the presence of teenage sensation Lamine Yamal, making this the third match they’ve failed to secure all three points in his absence. Coach Hansi Flick had challenged his squad to perform without the injured 17-year-old, and they seemed poised to do so until the late defensive collapse.
The draw leaves Barcelona five points ahead of Atletico Madrid at the top of La Liga, while defending champions Real Madrid, currently in third, play at Leganes on Sunday.
“We had the game under control, but the red card had a huge impact,” Barcelona midfielder Gavi told DAZN. “They scored twice in two moments, and we have to learn from that. The first goal was a mistake—we should have cleared the ball—but that’s football, and it’s tough when you’re down a man.”
Gavi, making his first start in over a year after recovering from a serious knee injury, expressed mixed feelings: “I’m happy to be back after such a long time, but the important thing was the three points, and we couldn’t get them.”
Barcelona’s lineup saw Raphinha moved to the right flank to replace Yamal, with Dani Olmo on the left and Pedri in an advanced midfield role. Raphinha struck first, scoring in the 15th minute after Kounde sent a long ball forward, allowing him to slot home calmly.
Barcelona’s left-back Gerard Martin endured a nervy first half, picking up an early booking and committing several fouls on Celta’s captain, Iago Aspas, who received a yellow card for protesting Martin’s challenges. Flick replaced Martin with Hector Fort at halftime to avoid a second booking.
The dramatic late equalizer ensures a hard-earned point for Celta and leaves Barcelona with valuable lessons to consider as they continue their title defence.
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