Celta let slip a match they had practically under control against Deportivo Alavés, a defeat that will be hard to swallow but one that cannot overshadow the excellent level and performance the team has demonstrated throughout the season.
Claudio Giráldez’s men took to the pitch with a recognizable formation and, despite the opponent’s high press, quickly found openings to attack the spaces with precision, especially down the right flank. It was precisely there that Ferran Jutglà emerged as a key figure in the first 45 minutes.
Thus, the opening goal came after a well-worked move from the back, with Javi Rodríguez threading a perfectly weighted pass that Jutglà finished with a low, angled shot. Less than 10 minutes had passed when the second goal was scored, the result of a deep run down the wing by Jutglà himself, who beat several defenders before delivering a precise cross to Hugo Álvarez. Celta’s dominance was cemented with the 3-0, a brilliant individual effort from the Catalan striker from midfield. He combined speed and skill to outmaneuver the defense and finish with another low, driven shot across goal. Up until that point, Celta had controlled the tempo of the game, but a goal from Toni Martínez just before halftime changed the dynamic.
After the break, Celta lost their rhythm and defensive solidity, which Quique Sánchez Flores’ men capitalized on to gradually reduce the deficit. Celta had chances to extend their lead, including a goal by Javi Rodríguez that was disallowed after a VAR review, a decision that could have altered the course of the match. Without that margin, the game opened up completely. Alavés surged forward, exploiting the spaces and ultimately turning the scoreline around. Celta, despite their efforts in the final stages, couldn’t find the finishing touch needed to prevent the outcome.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
3 – Celta: Andrei Radu; Javi Rodríguez, Joseph Aidoo (Iago Aspas, min. 82), Carlos Domínguez; Álvaro Núñez (Sergio Carreira, min. 54), Hugo Sotelo,Óscar Mingueza (Fer López, min. 54), Hugo Álvarez; Jones El-Abdellaoui (Javi Rueda, min. 69), Ferran Jutglà and Borja Iglesias (Pablo Durán, min. 69).
4 – Deportivo Alavés: Sivera; Jonny Otto, Tenaglia, Pacheco (Guridi, min. 46), Parada; Ángel Pérez, Blanco, Ibáñez (Rebbach, min. 46), Aleñá (Denis Suárez, min. 46); Toni Martínez (Koski, min. 94) and Lucas Boyé (Ibrahim Diabate, min. 46).
Goals: 1-0, m. 19: Ferran Jutglà. 2-0, m. 27: Hugo Álvarez. 3-0, m. 37: Ferran Jutglà. 3-1, m. 45: Toni Martínez. 3-2, m. 50: Ángel Pérez. 3-3, m. 74: Toni Martínez. 3-4, m. 78: Rebbach.
Referee: Sesma Espinosa (Riojan Committee). For Celta, he showed yellow cards to Javi Rodríguez (45th minute) and Fer López (64th minute). For Alavés, Pacheco (21st minute) and Denis Suárez (94th minute) were booked.
Incidents: The match, part of Matchday 29 of LaLiga EA Sports, was played at Abanca Balaídos in front of 20,260 spectators.
