MADRID, 5 Dic. (EUROPA PRESS) –
RC Celta de Vigo will host RCD Mallorca this Friday (9:00 p.m.) in the opening of matchday 16 of LaLiga EA Sports, a duel in which the locals want to maintain firmness at home, where they have 14 points out of a possible 24 , while the vermillions will seek to continue strengthening their position in European positions after their strong start to the campaign.
The Balaídos Stadium has become insurance for the people of Vigo this season, having added four victories in the eight games played there. Precisely, in those games in which they did not get three points, the four teams competing in the current edition of the Champions League were there, although two of them (Girona and Barcelona) left with only one point in their pocket, and The Madrid teams suffered to win.
With this clear sign of local power, Celta will look for the fifth victory at home to continue climbing positions in the standings and move away from the dangerous zone. Claudio Giráldez’s team arrives in twelfth position (5V, 3D and 7D) with 18 points and achieved a large victory in the Copa del Rey MAPFRE against Salamanca (0-7), but with doubts in the domestic competition after the tough defeat last weekend against Espanyol (3-1) despite Vigo’s dominance.
The Lérense coach could continue betting on a scheme with five defenders to reinforce the defensive line expectedly commanded by Carl Starfelt and Marcos Alonso, and in the lanes Óscar Mingueza and Javi Rodríguez. In midfielder Fran Beltrán stands as the leader; and on the offensive side, Giráldez trusts captain Iago Aspas with the doubt of Douvikas or Borja Iglesias, to increase the 23 goals scored this season in the league.
In front will be a Mallorca team with sky-high hopes after a dream start to the season that saw them start the day in sixth position (7V, 3E and 6L). The Balearic Islands want to continue on an upward trend and confirm their good feelings, despite last Tuesday’s painful defeat against Barcelona (1-5), against a rival that has done well in recent seasons.
In the recent history between the two teams, Mallorca has shown a certain superiority against the Vigo team with three victories in the last five games played. The last match, in January of this year at the Son Moix Stadium, ended with a 1-1 draw in a match in which the visitors took the lead with Iago Aspas’ early goal that the Mallorcans equalized in the final stages of the first half with Cyle Larin’s goal.
However, not everything is good news for Jagoba Arrasate’s team, which arrives in Vigo after losing two of its three most recent outings against Espanyol (2-1) and Alavés (1-0), a streak that it will want to stop. For this new home appointment the Basque coach will not be able to count on Toni Lato, José Copete and Iván ‘Pichu’ Cuéllar, who remain absent.
Possibly, he will once again present the 1-4-4-2 system with which he has been betting in recent days with Leo Román in goal and a defensive line commanded by Antonio Raíllo and Martín Valjent. In the midfield, Sergi Darder and Manu Morlanes would be in the game to control the game, while in the offensive part Vedat Muriqi will be the reference after not playing last weekend, serving a suspension and scoring against Barcelona on Tuesday in Son Moix.
–PROGRAM OF DAY 16 IN LALIGA EA SPORTS.
-Friday, December 6.
Celtic – Mallorca. From Burgos Bengoechea (Basque Country) 21.00 hours.
-Saturday 7.
Las Palmas – Valladolid. Díaz de Mera Escuderos (CC-Manchego) 14.00.
Betis – Barcelona. Muñiz Ruiz (C. Gallego)16.15.
Valencia – Rayo Vallecano. Munuera Montero (C. Andaluz) 18.30.
Girona – Real Madrid. Gil Manzano (C. Extremadura)21.00.
-Domingo 8.
Leganés – Real Sociedad. González Fuertes (C. Asturiano) 14.00.
Athletic Club – Villarreal. García Verdura (Catalan C.) 16.15.
Osasuna – Alavés. Soto Grado (C. Riojano) 18.30.
Atlético de Madrid – Seville. Alberola Rojas (C. C-Manchego)21.00.
-Monday 9.
Getafe – Espanyol. Busquets Ferrer (Balearic Islands) 21.00.