La Liga leaders Barcelona will be bidding to bounce back from a surprise defeat before the November international break when they resume their league campaign away to Celta Vigo on Saturday night.

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Celta boast a record of five wins, two draws and six defeats from their 13 La Liga matches this season, with a total of 17 points leaving them in 11th spot in the table, just three points off sixth-placed Athletic Bilbao.

The Sky Blues have been a good watch in La Liga this season, scoring 20 times, with only Villarreal (23), Real Madrid (25) and Barcelona (40) boasting stronger attacking records, while they have conceded 22, which is the joint-second worst defensive record in the division so far.

Claudio Giraldez's side were so close to recording a 2-1 victory over Real Betis before the international break, with the Vigo outfit ahead entering the final moments, only for Marc Bartra to net a late leveller for the hosts.

Celta are unbeaten in their last three matches, though, including a 1-0 success over Getafe in their last game in front of their own supporters, and they have won two of their last seven La Liga matches against Barcelona.

The Sky Blues finished 13th in La Liga last season, but they are certainly capable of claiming a top-half spot this term due to their talent in the final third, with a number of players making strong impressions in 2024-25.

Barcelona, meanwhile, have been the best side in Spain's top flight this season, boasting a record of 11 wins and two defeats from their 13 matches, which has left them at the top of the division on 33 points.

Hansi Flick's side are six points ahead of second-placed Real Madrid, but the reigning champions have a game in hand, with Barcelona's surprise defeat to Real Sociedad before the international break proving to be a damaging one.

Barcelona will be expecting to bounce back this weekend, and they were victorious in both La Liga meetings with Celta during the 2023-24 campaign, including a 2-1 victory in Vigo.

The Catalan outfit had been on a seven-game winning streak ahead of their defeat to Real Sociedad, and they now have three games in quick succession against Celta, Brest and Las Palmas before the end of the month.

Barcelona's final match ahead of the winter break in Spain comes against Atletico Madrid on December 21, and it will be fascinating to see how the table develops over the next few weeks, as Real Madrid are yet to find their groove this term.

Flick's team currently sit sixth in the overall Champions League table, meanwhile, having picked up nine points from their four matches, while they are the leading goalscorers in the competition this term with 15.

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