Barcelona wins 7-goal thriller against Celta de Vigo

FC Barcelona claimed a dramatic 4-3 victory over Celta de Vigo on Saturday in a rollercoaster La Liga clash. The win came in the final seconds of extra time, despite a costly error from Frenkie de Jong on his milestone night. The Dutch midfielder played his 250th match for the club, but a second-half mistake nearly overshadowed his achievement. The game kicked off with high intensity, and Ferran Torres gave Barcelona an early lead in the 12th minute with a low drive into the bottom left corner. But the advantage didn’t last long. Just three minutes later, a misjudged intervention by goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny allowed Borja Iglesias to equalize for Celta de Vigo.

Celta takes control after the break

Celta turned the game on its head in the second half, led by the clinical Borja Iglesias. He capitalized on a misplaced pass by de Jong shortly after the restart to put the visitors 2-1 ahead. Just ten minutes later, Iglesias completed his hat-trick with a composed finish on the counterattack, giving Celta a shock 1-3 lead at Camp Nou. Barcelona responded with urgency. Substitute Dani Olmo made an instant impact by narrowing the gap to 2-3 with a precise shot into the right corner. Just moments later, Raphinha rose to meet a cross from Lamine Yamal and headed in the equalizer, leveling the score at 3-3 with more than 20 minutes to play.

Last-minute drama

With Robert Lewandowski forced off late with an injury, Barcelona’s hopes seemed to be fading. But in the eighth minute of stoppage time, Dani Olmo was fouled inside the box. After a VAR check, the referee pointed to the spot. Raphinha stepped up and coolly converted the penalty to seal a thrilling 4-3 win. Frenkie de Jong, wearing the captain's armband, became just the fifth Dutch player to reach 250 appearances for Barcelona, joining legends like Phillip Cocu and Ronald Koeman. Despite his error, his overall contribution was steady, and the win ensured a positive note to mark the occasion.

Title race pressure stays on

With the victory, Barcelona moves to 73 points, opening up a temporary seven-point lead over Real Madrid. However, Madrid will have a chance to respond on Sunday when they host Athletic Club. Atlético Madrid, meanwhile, slipped further behind after a late 1-0 loss to Las Palmas. As the season enters its final stretch, Barcelona's ability to grind out results — even in chaotic matches like this — could prove decisive in their pursuit of a 28th La Liga title.