Barcelona have never played brilliantly in La Liga’s early Saturday kick-off slot, so it shouldn’t have come as too much of a surprise that Celta Vigo managed to depart the Camp Nou with a share of the spoils.
However, across the 90 minutes, the blaugrana had more than enough chances to wrap up another victory. The woodwork was struck twice – the 18th and 19th times for Barca this season – Lionel Messi missed with a close-range header… and there were other opportunities.
Against a side that have won only once in 76 years at the Camp Nou, the Catalans should’ve won yes, but credit should be given to the Galicians that they didn’t.
And yet, there is more for Ernesto Valverde and Co. to be positive about rather than wallowing in their own self-pity.
Followers of the club need to take a reality check too, with some already suggesting that the title race is over. It’s no more over now than it was when Barca looked to be romping away with it a couple of weeks ago.
Celta had done their homework and two swift counter-attacks unsettled the home side. Of more immediate concern should be that Valverde will be without his best centre-back, Samuel Umtiti, for the next eight weeks, thereby ensuring he will miss El Clasico amongst other games.
The defender was beaten for pace by Iago Aspas and pulled up lame almost immediately. Even then, it was the hosts that still took the game to their opponents and had the best chances to win the fixture.
Let’s not forget either that the away team had put four past Marc-Andre ter Stegen on Barca’s last two visits to the Estadio Balaidos. They remain one of the brightest attacking units in the division and were it not for the German custodian, they too may have had another goal or two.
In any event, even if Valencia were to win at Getafe, they would still be two points behind the blaugrana with both Madrid sides still at least six points away.
All the ‘what ifs’ are not even worthy of further discussion since they simply add nothing to the narrative.
It was never likely that Barca were going to go a whole season without some struggles along the way, but still Valverde has managed to answer every question posed in 2017/18.
Including Champions League games, Barcelona have now gone 19 games unbeaten. More if you want to add the Copa del Rey wins over Murcia.
How the hell can you be disappointed with that?
