Espanyol vs Celta: prediction, H2H and probable lineups — 14 February 2026
On Saturday, February 14, Valentine's Day, RCDE Stadium in Barcelona will host a clash between two sides aiming for European football this season. Espanyol welcomes Celta for Matchday 24 of La Liga. Check out our preview and prediction for this encounter.
Match preview
Espanyol heads into this round after a painful 1-4 defeat to Villarreal earlier in the week, making it four consecutive losses. The Parakeets are now in a phase of the season where every home fixture is a battle for a European spot. Manolo González’s side is traditionally strong on their own turf, with the crowd’s support often making up for defensive lapses. The hosts’ main hope lies in the partnership of Pere Milla and Roberto Fernández, who have shown great chemistry this season. After several setbacks in January and February, it’s crucial for the Catalans to pick up points to stay in the race for the top seven: despite their struggles, the club has 34 points and remains a serious contender for European qualification.
Celta, under Claudio Giráldez, have looked a solid unit in 2026, successfully juggling La Liga and their Europa League campaign. In the last round, the Galicians narrowly lost 1-2 to Osasuna but remain in the hunt: the club has picked up 33 points from 23 matches and sits seventh in the league. The Celts play a bold, attacking brand of football, with young stars like Williot Swedberg and Óscar Mingueza playing key roles. The Iago Aspas factor still matters: the veteran often comes off the bench to change the course of a game.
Tactically, this promises to be an open contest. Espanyol is used to playing attacking football at home, while Celta are always searching for opportunities in positional play. In the reverse fixture, Espanyol claimed a 1-0 win in Vigo, so the visitors are clearly out for revenge. Given how close both teams are in the table, we could see a cautious start that turns into an end-to-end battle in the second half.
Probable lineups
Espanyol: Dmitrovic; El Hilali, Calero, Cabrera, Salinas; Lozano, Zarate; Dolan, Exposito, Milla; Fernandez
Celta: Radu; Rodriguez, Starfelt, Alonso; Carreira, Roman, Moriba, Mingueza; Lopez, Iglesias, Swedberg
Match facts and head-to-head
- In the last five matches, Espanyol have recorded four wins and Celta one
- Espanyol are winless in six straight games: five losses and a draw
- Celta have not won in their last four matches: two draws and a loss
Prediction
Both teams are struggling defensively, but their attacking potential is high, promising an entertaining, high-scoring affair. My prediction: both teams to score – YES at 1.92
