Celta return to Balaídos this Sunday looking to steady themselves in LaLiga EA Sports when they host Alavés at 16:15. It is a match that arrives with both teams carrying mixed recent form, but with the pressure felt more strongly in Vigo after Celta’s tough run of results in recent days.
Claudio Giráldez’s side are dealing with a demanding stretch of three partidos in seven días, and the timing is not ideal. Celta come into the game after stumbling against Elche at the Martínez Valero last week, and the wider picture is not much better: they have only one LaLiga win and have picked up just one point of the 12 últimos. The trip to Glasgow to face Celtic in the Liga Europa is already waiting next Thursday, which adds another layer to Giráldez’s team selection decision.
Form and context before Celta Vs Alavés
Alavés arrive with a different kind of profile. They sit in the upper middle zone of the table thanks to points against Rayo and Athletic Club, but their away form remains a concern. The side from Mendizorroza are still winless away from home, which keeps this visit to Balaídos from feeling like a routine assignment.
The matchup also carries some recent history. Five months ago, Quique Sánchez Flores celebrated his first victory as Alavés coach at Balaídos after a 3-4 comeback. That result still hangs over a fixture that has often been decided by small margins, and Sunday’s meeting could again come down to defensive control rather than attacking volume.
Projected lineups and key absences
Celta have not repeated an XI since Claudio Giráldez took over, so there is still an element of uncertainty around the final selection. Given the schedule, rotation looks likely, especially with the European trip to Celtic in Glasgow coming so soon after this league match.
For Alavés, the absences are clearer. Facu Garcés, Mikel Rodríguez, Nahuel Tenaglia and Valentini are all missing, while Koski is also unavailable. Even with those setbacks, Alavés still have enough structure to make this a competitive game, especially if they can keep the match tight early on.
That is the basic shape of Celta Vs Alavés: two teams with limited recent margins, one under pressure to recover at home, and another trying to turn away-day problems into points. At Balaídos, the details could matter more than ever.
