‘Among the top two or three’… Celta Vigo coach praises Barcelona but also sends a warning ahead of La Liga clash | OneFootball

There is absolutely no doubt that FC Barcelona have the ability to do something special this season. Already in the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League, Hansi Flick’s team is on a roll. While they may no longer be unbeaten in 2025, Barcelona are still very much alive in every competition

From being first in La Liga to being among the two finalists in the Copa del Rey, La Blaugrana have showcased their strength and ability to adapt to any challenge. Thanks to this ability to perform well across various competitions, Barcelona are now regarded as one of the sides to beat in Europe this season.

Following their qualification to the semi-final of the Champions League, Barça must now turn their attention back towards La Liga. Thus, the entirety of the team’s attention will now be on Celta Vigo, who will be visiting the Montjuic Stadium for the upcoming clash.

Ahead of the game, however, Celta Vigo coach Claudio Giraldez spoke highly of the Catalan giants and praised the side as well. As quoted by AS, he highlighted the team’s progression and considers them as one of the top teams in the world:

“If they’re not the best team in the world right now, they’re definitely among the top two or three. What they’re doing this year is incredibly impressive: they’re in the Copa del Rey final, in the Champions League semifinals for the first time in 6–7 years, and they’ve been leading La Liga almost all season. And they’re doing all this with a strong identity and a real sense of unity in every phase of the game.”

He also praised the team’s unity and just how impactful that has been as well this season:

“That team spirit, I think, really shines through — I often say the same about us — in the way their players react during tough moments, in moments of joy, and how every player who comes in contributes with a clear understanding of what’s expected. There’s an enormous level of commitment to the system Flick has brought in.”

Going further, Giraldez also praised the individual quality of this Barcelona team as well, something that goes hand in hand with the reports suggesting that these players are all in the running for the Ballon d’Or:

“That, beyond the sheer talent they have and the fact they’ve got some of the best players in the world in every position, is the real key to their success.”

However, Giraldez also made sure to give out a small warning, saying that Celta Vigo has proven that this Barcelona team can be hurt as well. He also referenced the recent game against Borussia Dortmund, suggesting that Hansi Flick’s side has vulnerabilities as well:

“We showed in the match at our place that you can hurt them. Their most recent game also showed that, like all teams, they have some weak spots. We’ll try to play a near-perfect match — we know that if we don’t, it won’t be enough, because they’ll punish any mistake. That’s what happened in the first leg: we made two individual errors or lacked decisiveness in clearing the ball, and they scored both times.”

Yet, the Celta Vigo coach did not deny the reality that if his team did not play their cards perfectly, Barcelona could easily hurt them through many different avenues:

“They’re a team that can hurt you in any situation — that’s rare. You don’t usually associate Barça with being so dangerous from set pieces or on the counterattack, but they are. Their pressing is also relentless and intense, which is unusual, and in moments this season when they haven’t pressed at that level, they’ve looked more vulnerable.”

“Hopefully, we can take the ball from them, break through that first wave of pressure, which we know will be intense, and attack the space behind their high defensive line. But if we’re not solid defensively, it’ll be impossible to compete with a team that talented.”

As for Barcelona themselves, this is a game that they know is crucial for their chances of winning La Liga. For that reason, Hansi Flick will reportedly field a strong starting eleven for this game, and it could be the same one that he plans to use against Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey final.