Barcelona extended their lead at the top of LaLiga to seven points after coming from two goals down to edge a pulsating 4-3 victory over RC Celta de Vigo at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys. The win, sealed by a stoppage-time penalty from Raphinha, ended Celta’s four-match unbeaten away run and kept Barca in control ahead of a demanding end to the season.
Despite recent struggles against Celta – including a 2-2 draw earlier in the campaign – Barcelona appeared confident heading into the match. Hansi Flick’s side started brightly, with early chances for Robert Lewandowski and Iñigo Martínez, and it was Ferran Torres who opened the scoring with a smart right-footed finish into the far corner after just 15 minutes.
However, their lead lasted only three minutes. Celta hit back swiftly through Borja Iglesias, who took advantage of a misjudged cross from Pablo Durán and a rushing Wojciech Szczesny to tap home into an empty net.
Barcelona’s response was shaky. They struggled to maintain attacking fluency, and their final balls were often inaccurate. While Lewandowski and Raphinha both had efforts, it was Celta who nearly went ahead before the break, forcing a double save from Szczesny through Ilaix Moriba and Iker Losada.
Celta remained a threat after the interval and stunned the home crowd by taking a 3-1 lead. Iglesias latched onto a long ball from Yoel Lago to score his second with a fierce low strike, before completing his hat-trick minutes later with a deft flick past Szczesny following another lapse in Barca’s defence.
Barcelona, however, refused to fold. Raphinha played in Dani Olmo, who coolly slotted past Vicente Guaita to make it 3-2, before the Brazilian winger himself rose to head home a Lamine Yamal cross and restore parity.
The drama continued deep into stoppage time. Olmo was brought down in the area by Lago, and after a VAR review, Raphinha stepped up to slot in the winner from 12 yards, completing an extraordinary turnaround and sending the home fans into raptures.
Yet the dramatic comeback was tempered by concern over Robert Lewandowski, who was forced off in the 78th minute after appearing to suffer a muscle injury. The Polish striker was seen clutching the back of his left thigh before making way for Gavi. Initial fears point to a possible hamstring tear, which could see him sidelined for two to three weeks. This comes at a critical juncture for Barcelona, with the Copa del Rey final against Real Madrid scheduled for next Saturday and a Champions League semi-final against Inter Milan looming on the horizon (first leg on 30 April in Spain, second leg on 6 May at San Siro). Head coach Hansi Flick urged caution, stating, “We have to wait until tomorrow for tests to know more.” Lewandowski will undergo an MRI scan on Sunday, but early indications from within his camp suggest the outlook may not be promising, according to Mundo Deportivo.
It was a cruel end for Borja Iglesias, who became one of the rare players to score a hat-trick and still end up on the losing side. For Barcelona, however, it was a vital win that maintains their momentum and cushions their lead over Real Madrid ahead of the season’s decisive stretch. Meanwhile, Celta will need to regroup quickly if they are to revive their hopes of a return to European competition for the first time since 2016–17.
