On August 24th at 1:00 AM, Celta Vigo will host Valencia in the second round of the 2024-25 La Liga season. These two teams are familiar with each other, having clashed numerous times both in La Liga and the Copa del Rey. From 2021 to May 2023, Valencia enjoyed a dominant streak against Celta, winning all five encounters. However, the tide has turned recently, with Celta remaining unbeaten in their last three matches against Valencia.
In the opening round of the new La Liga season, Celta secured a resounding 2-1 victory over Alaves at home, marking their first win in the opening game since the 2015-16 season when they triumphed over Levante by the same score. Celta’s victory over Alaves saw veteran striker Aspas score a crucial last-minute winner, securing a 2-1 comeback. In addition to Aspas, 20-year-old youngster Swedberg also delivered an impressive performance. He came off the bench, scoring the equalizing goal and then setting up Aspas for the winning goal.
Towards the end of last season, Carlos Carvalhal took over as manager for Celta and implemented a three-back system. Under his guidance, the team achieved a respectable record of 5 wins, 2 draws, and 3 losses in their final ten matches. During pre-season, Carvalhal experimented with a four-back system, but ultimately opted for the three-back formation in the opening round of the new season, which proved successful. It is likely that Carvalhal will stick with this formation in the upcoming clash against Valencia. Notably, since Carvalhal took charge, Celta has excelled in come-from-behind situations, conceding the first goal in nine matches but securing 5 wins, 1 draw, and 3 losses in those encounters.
Valencia, on the other hand, suffered a 1-2 defeat to Barcelona in their opening fixture. They were outplayed by their opponents, controlling just 36% of the possession and managing fewer shots (12) and fewer attacks (56) than Barcelona. Valencia is not renowned for its away performances. Last season, they recorded a dismal away record of 5 wins, 4 draws, and 10 losses, resulting in a 52.6% loss rate on the road.
In their opening game against Barcelona, Valencia struggled with defensive concentration and failed to adequately mark Barcelona’s star striker, Robert Lewandowski. In their upcoming clash against Celta, Valencia must prioritize a solid defensive approach, particularly focusing on containing Aspas. It’s worth noting that in their previous encounter, Aspas managed to score one goal and provide one assist against Valencia. Recently, Valencia officially announced the signing of striker Koba Koindredi. Last season, he featured in 39 matches for Alaves, scoring 5 goals and delivering 4 assists. It remains to be seen if Koindredi can bolster Valencia’s attacking prowess. Meanwhile, Spanish media reports suggest that Ferran Torres’ loan move to Valencia is nearing completion.
In terms of historical head-to-head encounters, Valencia holds a slight advantage, winning 15 out of the last 30 matches against Celta, while drawing 6 and losing 9. However, in their last three encounters, Valencia has only managed to secure 2 draws and 1 loss against Celta.
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