LaLiga: Barcelona One Step Closer to Title After Narrow Celta Win

Yamal penalty edges Barca Past Celta to restore nine-point lead

Barcelona extended their LaLiga winning run to eight games with a 1-0 win over Celta Vigo. Yamal’s penalty proved decisive after João Cancelo went off injured, as Flick’s side took another step toward the title.

Lamine Yamal’s first-half penalty gave Barcelona a win over Celta Vigo at Camp Nou. The result marks Barca’s 17th home LaLiga victory this season and eighth straight league win, restoring their nine-point lead at the top...

 

Celta Vigo’s energetic display counted for nothing as Barcelona claimed a 1-0 win at Camp Nou. It was a 17th home LaLiga victory this season for Barcelona, restoring their nine-point lead at the top.

Both teams had real chances inside the opening 40 seconds. The frantic tempo carried on through the early stages, but it often resembled pinball as the ball ricocheted between the sides.

  

Ex-Barca forward Ferran Jutgla blazed over when clean through against Joan García, and the hosts were hit by an early setback as João Cancelo was forced off after just 20 minutes.

Celta attacked at every opportunity and by the half-hour mark, Barca were yet to register a shot on target.

Lamine Yamal and Ferran Torres were crowded out each time they found space, until Yamal drove into the box and was brought down by Yoel Lago. He stepped up and slotted the penalty into the bottom corner for his 16th league goal of the season.

Strangely, that was his final contribution of the game, though it wasn’t immediately obvious how he picked up the injury.

An unrelated stoppage meant the official didn’t blow for half time until the 68th minute. That didn’t slow Celta after the restart, with Hugo Álvarez especially busy as they flew out of the blocks.

 

Barcelona soon found their rhythm, and Torres crashed in a superb volley from Pedri’s exquisite cross, only for VAR to rule it out.

Barcelona edge Celta Vigo to move closer to LaLiga title

To Celta’s credit, they kept playing on the front foot, disrupting Barca’s fluency whenever the hosts tried to move forward.

  

Frenkie de Jong’s introduction gave Barça fresh impetus, but they still struggled to test Celta keeper Ionut Radu.

HUGE WIN!!! pic.twitter.com/13McvLcAka

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) April 22, 2026

It didn’t matter in the end. The result stretches Barca’s LaLiga winning run to eight games and makes it six head-to-heads unbeaten against the Galicians. For Celta, it’s just a second defeat in 13 away trips, leaving them seventh.