Barcelona manager Ernesto Valverde admits the loss of Ousmane Dembele to a hamstring problem early in the 2-0 defeat at Celta Vigo will be a "major blow" to their end-of-season ambitions.

With the La Liga title already secure, Valverde opted to rest several key men at Estadio de Balaidos ahead of next week's Champions League semi-final second leg against Liverpool.

French forward Dembele, though, lasted less than 10 minutes before being forced off with a hamstring injury.

While the defeat, a first in the league since November, will not in itself be a major issue on the campaign, losing another attacking option could be.

Barcelona confirmed in a statement on the club website Dembele had "suffered a muscular injury in his right hamstring" and was set for further tests on Sunday to establish the full extent of the problem.

Player ratings: Barcelona vs Liverpool Show all 23 1 /23 Player ratings: Barcelona vs Liverpool Player ratings: Barcelona vs Liverpool Marc-Andre ter Stegen - 8 BARCELONA, SPAIN - MAY 01: Marc-Andre Ter Stegen of Barcelona celebrates after Luis Suarez of Barcelona (not pictured) scores his sides first goal during the UEFA Champions League Semi Final first leg match between Barcelona and Liverpool at the Nou Camp on May 01, 2019 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images) Catherine Ivill Getty Images Player ratings: Barcelona vs Liverpool Sergi Roberto - 5 Barcelona's Spanish midfielder Sergi Roberto (L) challenges Liverpool's Senegalese forward Sadio Mane during the UEFA Champions League semi-final first leg football match between Barcelona and Liverpool at the Camp Nou Stadium in Barcelona on May 1, 2019. (Photo by LLUIS GENE / AFP)LLUIS GENE/AFP/Getty Images LLUIS GENE AFP/Getty Images Player ratings: Barcelona vs Liverpool Gerard Pique - 8 Barcelona's Spanish defender Gerard Pique gestures during the UEFA Champions League semi-final first leg football match between Barcelona and Liverpool at the Camp Nou Stadium in Barcelona on May 1, 2019. (Photo by LLUIS GENE / AFP)LLUIS GENE/AFP/Getty Images LLUIS GENE AFP/Getty Images Player ratings: Barcelona vs Liverpool Clement Lenglet - 8 Soccer Football - Champions League Semi Final First Leg - FC Barcelona v Liverpool - Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain - May 1, 2019 Liverpool's Mohamed Salah in action with Barcelona's Clement Lenglet REUTERS/Susana Vera SUSANA VERA REUTERS Player ratings: Barcelona vs Liverpool Jordi Alba - 8 epa07541179 FC Barcelona's defender Jordi Alba (L) duels for the ball against Liverpool's winger Mohammed Salah (R) during the UEFA Champions League first leg semifinal match between FC Barcelona and Liverpool in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, 01 May 2019. EPA/Alberto Estevez Alberto Estevez EPA Player ratings: Barcelona vs Liverpool Arturo Vidal - 6 Barcelona's Chilean midfielder Arturo Vidal (L) challenges Liverpool's Scottish defender Andrew Robertson during the UEFA Champions League semi-final first leg football match between Barcelona and Liverpool at the Camp Nou Stadium in Barcelona on May 1, 2019. (Photo by LLUIS GENE / AFP)LLUIS GENE/AFP/Getty Images LLUIS GENE AFP/Getty Images Player ratings: Barcelona vs Liverpool Ivan Rakitic - 7 Liverpool's Mohamed Salah, left, eyes the ball past Barcelona's Ivan Rakitic during the Champions League semifinal, first leg, soccer match between FC Barcelona and Liverpool at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Wednesday, May 1, 2019. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti) Emilio Morenatti AP Player ratings: Barcelona vs Liverpool Sergio Busquets - 7 BARCELONA, SPAIN - MAY 01: Sergio Busquets of Barcelona controls the ball as Sadio Mane of Liverpool looks on during the UEFA Champions League Semi Final first leg match between Barcelona and Liverpool at the Nou Camp on May 01, 2019 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images) Catherine Ivill Getty Images Player ratings: Barcelona vs Liverpool Philippe Coutinho - 6 Barcelona's Brazilian midfielder Philippe Coutinho reacts during the UEFA Champions League semi-final first leg football match between Barcelona and Liverpool at the Camp Nou Stadium in Barcelona on May 1, 2019. (Photo by JOSE JORDAN / AFP)JOSE JORDAN/AFP/Getty Images JOSE JORDAN AFP/Getty Images Player ratings: Barcelona vs Liverpool Lionel Messi - 9 BARCELONA, SPAIN - MAY 01: Lionel Messi of Barcelona controls the ball as Naby Keita of Liverpool chases during the UEFA Champions League Semi Final first leg match between Barcelona and Liverpool at the Nou Camp on May 01, 2019 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images) Michael Regan Getty Images Player ratings: Barcelona vs Liverpool Luis Suarez - 8 Barcelona's Uruguayan forward Luis Suarez celebrates a goal during the UEFA Champions League semi-final first leg football match between FC Barcelona and Liverpool at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona on May 1, 2019. (Photo by Josep LAGO / AFP)JOSEP LAGO/AFP/Getty Images JOSEP LAGO AFP/Getty Images Player ratings: Barcelona vs Liverpool Alisson - 6 BARCELONA, SPAIN - MAY 01: Luis Suarez of Barcelona scores his sides first goal past Alisson of Liverpool during the UEFA Champions League Semi Final first leg match between Barcelona and Liverpool at the Nou Camp on May 01, 2019 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Matthias Hangst/Getty Images) Matthias Hangst Getty Images Player ratings: Barcelona vs Liverpool Joe Gomez - 6 Liverpool's English defender Joe Gomez (L) vies with Barcelona's Brazilian midfielder Philippe Coutinho during the UEFA Champions League semi-final first leg football match between Barcelona and Liverpool at the Camp Nou Stadium in Barcelona on May 1, 2019. (Photo by JOSE JORDAN / AFP)JOSE JORDAN/AFP/Getty Images JOSE JORDAN AFP/Getty Images Player ratings: Barcelona vs Liverpool Joel Matip - 8 Liverpool's Joel Matip, right, and Barcelona's Luis Suarez vie for the ball during the Champions League semifinal first leg soccer match between FC Barcelona and Liverpool at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Wednesday, May 1, 2019. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) Manu Fernandez AP Player ratings: Barcelona vs Liverpool Virgil van Dijk - 5 BARCELONA, SPAIN - MAY 01: Virgil van Dijk of Liverpool reacts during the UEFA Champions League Semi Final first leg match between Barcelona and Liverpool at the Nou Camp on May 01, 2019 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Matthias Hangst/Getty Images) Matthias Hangst Getty Images Player ratings: Barcelona vs Liverpool Andrew Robertson - 7 Barcelona's Argentinian forward Lionel Messi (R) vies with Liverpool's Scottish defender Andrew Robertson during the UEFA Champions League semi-final first leg football match between Barcelona and Liverpool at the Camp Nou Stadium in Barcelona on May 1, 2019. (Photo by Josep LAGO / AFP)JOSEP LAGO/AFP/Getty Images JOSEP LAGO AFP/Getty Images Player ratings: Barcelona vs Liverpool James Milner - 7 BARCELONA, SPAIN - MAY 01: James Milner of Liverpool battles for possession with Luis Suarez of Barcelona during the UEFA Champions League Semi Final first leg match between Barcelona and Liverpool at the Nou Camp on May 01, 2019 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images) Michael Regan Getty Images Player ratings: Barcelona vs Liverpool Fabinho - 5 Liverpool's Brazilian midfielder Fabinho reacts as Barcelona's players (back) celebrate after scoring a goal during the UEFA Champions League semi-final first leg football match between Barcelona and Liverpool at the Camp Nou Stadium in Barcelona on May 1, 2019. (Photo by JAVIER SORIANO / AFP)JAVIER SORIANO/AFP/Getty Images JAVIER SORIANO AFP/Getty Images Player ratings: Barcelona vs Liverpool Georginio Wijnaldum - 5 BARCELONA, SPAIN - MAY 01: Ivan Rakitic of Barcelona challenges Georginio Wijnaldum of Liverpool during the UEFA Champions League Semi Final first leg match between Barcelona and Liverpool at the Nou Camp on May 01, 2019 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Matthias Hangst/Getty Images) Matthias Hangst Getty Images Player ratings: Barcelona vs Liverpool Naby Keita - N/A BARCELONA, SPAIN - MAY 01: Naby Keita of Liverpool walks off the pitch after being injured during the UEFA Champions League Semi Final first leg match between Barcelona and Liverpool at the Nou Camp on May 01, 2019 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Matthias Hangst/Getty Images) Matthias Hangst Getty Images Player ratings: Barcelona vs Liverpool Jordan Henderson - 7 Barcelona's Croatian midfielder Ivan Rakitic (L) challenges Liverpool's English midfielder Jordan Henderson during the UEFA Champions League semi-final first leg football match between Barcelona and Liverpool at the Camp Nou Stadium in Barcelona on May 1, 2019. (Photo by LLUIS GENE / AFP) (Photo credit should read LLUIS GENE/AFP/Getty Images) Getty Player ratings: Barcelona vs Liverpool Mohamed Salah - 7 Soccer Football - Champions League Semi Final First Leg - FC Barcelona v Liverpool - Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain - May 1, 2019 Liverpool's Mohamed Salah reacts REUTERS/Susana Vera SUSANA VERA REUTERS Player ratings: Barcelona vs Liverpool Sadio Mane - 7 Soccer Football - Champions League Semi Final First Leg - FC Barcelona v Liverpool - Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain - May 1, 2019 Liverpool's Sadio Mane reacts REUTERS/Susana Vera SUSANA VERA REUTERS

"He is an important player for us and it is a major blow with the big games we have coming up," Valverde told reporters, as quoted by Spanish media outlet Marca.

"I didn't replace him with Philippe Coutinho as I didn't want to run any more risks."

Defender Jean-Clair Todibo also went off during the second half, but Valverde hoped the problem was not serious.

Maxi Gomez finally broke the deadlock in the 67th minute before Iago Aspas wrapped things up with a late penalty, given for handball following a Video Assistant Referee referral.

Celta Vigo move five points clear of the relegation zone to 14th place, while Barca slipped to a first LaLiga defeat since November.

"We dominated the match at moments. Their first goal came and it gave them the option to go on and win the game. We had no answer," Valverde said.