Celta Vigo vs Athletic Club: The Basques Will Look to Bounce Back in Vigo
On 30 August, Celta Vigo will host Athletic Club at Balaídos in the third round of La Liga. Kick-off is scheduled for 21:30 Spanish time. The match promises to be interesting, not least because both teams come into it after far from ideal starts.
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Celta Vigo’s situation is particularly complicated. The team were unable to play in the first round due to problems with the pitch, so they only made their league debut on 27 August. Their home clash with Osasuna ended in a painful 2-1 defeat. The hosts opened the scoring through Iago Aspas, but conceded twice after the break, with Ante Budimir scoring the decisive goal from the penalty spot.
Claudio Giráldez now has virtually no time to settle in. On the one hand, Celta have another home fixture and the support of the Balaídos crowd. On the other, after the defeat to Osasuna, the Galicians urgently need to start picking up points to avoid falling behind their rivals so early in the season.
Athletic are going through a difficult spell of their own. The Bilbao side began the season with a 3-1 victory over Sevilla, but then lost 2-0 to Barcelona. Moreover, the defeat to the Catalans was already the team’s second disappointing result in a short period, with the Basques also losing to Real Zaragoza and Atalanta in friendly matches.
However, the match against Barcelona showed that Athletic can cause problems even for top opposition. Edin Terzić’s side kept the contest alive for a long time, while Unai Simón produced several important saves to keep his team in the game. In the end, though, Raphinha and Fermín López scored a goal each, leaving Athletic empty-handed in Catalonia.
The Basques will now face a much more manageable opponent — at least on paper. However, Celta can be extremely difficult to play against at home. In attack, much will once again depend on the experience of Iago Aspas. The captain has already opened his account for the season, and his link-up play with his younger teammates could prove to be a key factor.
The team news is also worth keeping an eye on. Athletic have some squad concerns: Dani Vivian and Beñat Prados are close to returning, but their involvement against Celta remains uncertain, while Unai Egiluz continues his recovery from a serious injury. For the Galicians, Borja Iglesias remains unavailable, while Ilaix Moriba is considered doubtful.
The head-to-head record also deserves attention. The last five meetings between the teams have been remarkably even, with two wins for each side and one draw. So neither team should expect an easy afternoon.
In my view, Athletic currently look like the more balanced side, but home advantage and Celta’s desire to bounce back after the defeat to Osasuna could well level the playing field.
My prediction: Both teams to score — Yes.
