Joaquin Larrivey’s goal earned Celta Vigo a shock 1-0 victory at Barcelona, who, despite hitting the crossbar four times, suffer a second straight defeat.
Ivan Rakitic and Jordi Alba were among the substitutes in last week’s 3-1 Clasico defeat to Real Madrid, but have returned to the starting XI, with Jeremy Mathieu moving centrally at Gerard Pique’s expense to accommodate the left-back.
Elsewhere, Luis Suarez kept his place in the teamfor his Barca home debut, while Rafinha replaced the injured Andres Iniesta. Celta, meanwhile, made just the one change, as Fabian Orellana was preferred to Santi Mina in attack.
La Blaugrana’s early intent was telling, with Neymar squandering a couple of chances. First, the Brazilian could only head Rakitic’s cross into the arms of Sergio, before he crashed a thunderous effort from distance onto the stanchion.
At the other end, Pablo Hernandez should have given Celta the lead, but his free header from a corner could only reach Claudio Bravo. Nolito and Joaquin Larrivey also came close, but the pair were not decisive enough with their finishing.
Messi was soon back on the prowl, and he forced Sergio into making a terrific, finger-tip save to deny his powerful long-range effort, before an incredible sliding intervention from Castro prevented the Argentine from applying an angled drive home.
The No. 10, who remains only one goal away from equalling Telmo Zarra’s goalscoring record in La Liga, then fluffed a third opportunity, looping Luis Suarez’s perfectly-clipped cross over the bar. The Uruguayan then failed to capitalise on a Neymar pull-back on the brink of half-time.
The second half was more of the same, as Barca continued to spur chances at will. Neymar rifled another effort onto the crossbar, and the hosts were made to pay for their profligacy when Dani Alves made a hash of his clearance.
The right-back failed to get his feet in sync, and with Nolito ready to pounce, the former Barcelona youth player back-heeled the ball into the path of Joaquin Larrivey, who finished with aplomb to shock the Camp Nou faithful.
Messi and Suarez quickly went about their business and nearly grabbed an equaliser. The forward latched onto Rafinha’s one-two, but he was again denied by Alvarez, before the ex-Liverpool ace somehow nodded his header straight at the goalkeeper.
It appeared to be a case of deja vu for the hosts, only this time they would ultimately count their lucky stars, as Orellana’s pinpoint square ball found Nolito, who smashed a low, first-time shot at Bravo, yet substitute Charles failed to head the rebound into an empty net.
Barca then struck the bar for a fourth time via a textbook free kick from Messi, and Suarez again couldn’t break his duck, smashing a close-range effort at goal, which Alvarez wonderfully tipped wide. Charles almost added a second from a spectacular volley, but Celta held on for a famous win.
Barcelona 0-1 Celta Larrivey 55
Barcelona: Bravo; Alves, Mascherano, Mathieu, Alba; Rakitic, Busquets (Xavi 66), Rafinha (Pedro 66); Messi; Suarez, Neymar
Celta: Alvarez; Mallo, Gomez, Cabral, Jonny; Krohn-Dehli, Radoja, Hernandez (Fernandez 76); Orellana, Larrivey (76), Nolito (Madinda 88)
Referee: Vicandi Garrido