Celta 2 - Barcelona 1

Celta: Cavallero; Méndez, Cáceres, Sergio, Sylvinho (Juanfran 70'); Luccin, Vagner (Giovanella 25'); Karpin (Gustavo López 55'), Mostovoi, Jesuli; Catanha. 4-2-3-1.
Barcelona: Bonano; Gabri (Geovanni 62'), Christanval, Abelardo, Puyol (Reiziger 35'); Rochemback, Xavi, Motta; Luis Enrique; Saviola (Overmars 62'), Rivaldo. 4-4-2.

Team changes: Celta: Mostovoi for Edu / Barcelona: Bonano, Gabri, Christanval, Motta, Rivaldo for Reina, Frank De Boer, Coco, Cocu, Overmars.

Goals:
1-0. 13. Mostovoi. Touched ball past Bonano after Cáceres crossed in from right
2-0. 61. Gustavo López. Hit shot past keeper after short Mostovoi free kick.
2-1. 89. Rivaldo. Glancing header down past Cavallero from Overmars cross.

Celta moved above Barcelona on head-to-head goal difference into the fourth Champions League spot with a 2-1 victory over their direct rivals in the Balaidos stadium. Rexach lined up a with a side which contained no Dutch players, with Kluivert and Cocu injured and Overmars, Frank De Boer and Reiziger on the bench. Bonano came back after missing the last game through injury, as did Rivaldo who had played almost an hour for Brazil midweek in a friendly match, despite a request from Barcelona for him not to be picked as he was not yet fully recovered from his ankle and knee injuries. Víctor Fernández (incidentally a firm candidate for manager at the Nou Camp next season) only made one change, Mostovoi now fully fit replacing Edu.

Although Celta were on top in the early minutes, the visitors went closest to scoring when Christanval blasted the ball over the bar from two yards out and then Cavallero saved a Rochemback free kick. But then midway through the first half Cáceres whipped the ball in from the right, and although Catanha could not control it, Mostovoi took the ball on his chest and poked it home with a little help from Rochemback. A few minutes later Cavallero did well to smother a shot from Rivaldo, and Bonano just got a hand to a clever back-heel from Catanha which could have sneaked into the net. With so much at stake though the game started to get rough, and Cáceres was lucky to stay on the park after stamping on the back of Rivaldo. Both teams lost key players before the break, with Vagner for the home side and Puyol for the visitors leaving the field with injuries, and Sylvinho was to increase Celta's medical bill in the second half when he too had to go off in the second half.

Gustavo López came on for Karpin after the break and within minutes added a second goal with a shot from Mostovoi's short free kick, the ball taking a deflection off Luis Enrique to wrong foot Bonano. Rexach brought on Geovanni and Overmars to strengthen his attack, and Motta and then Luis Enrique both hit the bar in one frenetic attack. And then with a minute to go of normal time, a limping Rivaldo pulled one back with a glancing header from an Overmars cross. It was too late though to change the result, and with a direct goal average of 4-3 against Barça in their favour Celta move back into contention for next year's Champions League (even though they stay behind their rivals in the published league table as the head-to-head result is only taken into account on the last day). The big question now though is who will be fit for Barcelona's big match net Tuesday against Real Madrid in this season's Champions League semi-final. Xavi is already suspended, and doctors confirmed Puyol will certainly not be there. Kluivert and Cocu are waiting for fitness tests, and Rivaldo could be out as well. Rexach looks a worried man.