Celta secured a victory at Mestalla, a stadium where they hadn’t managed to win a La Liga match since 2016, with a comeback win that equaled their best away record in the top flight, strengthened their position in the table, and practically guaranteed their survival in the top division.
The match was divided into two very distinct halves. In the first, Claudio Giráldez’s team controlled possession, but lacked penetration and the ability to create clear-cut chances. Possession was high, although there were no changes of pace or solutions in the final third. In contrast, Valencia did manage to create danger and capitalized on it after ten minutes. A set piece allowed Guido Rodríguez to put the home side ahead, and they managed to maintain their lead until halftime.
The break changed the course of the game. Claudio Giráldez made three substitutions at once, bringing on Fer López, Williot Swedberg, and Jones El-Abdellaoui. The team reorganized into a 4-3-3 formation, which completely transformed their performance up to that point. Celta gained width, sped up their ball movement, and began to find spaces where there hadn’t been any before. With Fer López as the focal point of the attack, the team became unpredictable and started creating chances.
The equalizer came after a scramble in the box, but Ilaix Moriba pounced on the rebound to level the score. Just a few minutes later, Fer López himself finished off a team move with a left-footed shot that flew into the top corner to complete the comeback.
The game then opened up. Valencia were revitalized, and Carlos Corberán made four substitutions at once, taking risks and leaving spaces that Celta exploited. In a move down the wing, Williot Swedberg extended the lead, scoring a goal in a stadium with which he has a very special connection.
In the final stretch, Claudio Giráldez’s men had to manage their lead. Valencia created numerous chances and dangerous situations, especially from open play. Deep into stoppage time, Guido Rodríguez pulled one back with a shot from the edge of the box, forcing Celta to hold on for the win until the final whistle.
Thus, Celta achieved a comeback victory in a stadium that has proven particularly difficult for them, where they hadn’t won in 10 years. This important boost of energy will serve them well as they prepare for the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final against Freiburg this Thursday, April 9th at 9:00 PM at the Europa Park Stadion.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
2 – Valencia CF: Dimitrievski; Núñez (Ugrinic, min. 63), Tárrega, Cömert, Gayà (Danjuma, min. 78); Rioja, Guido Rodríguez, Javi Guerra (Beltrán, min. 64), Ramazani; André Almeida (Thierry, min. 63) and Hugo Duro (Sadiq, min. 63).
3 – Celta: Andréi Radu; Javi Rodríguez (Jones El-Abdellaoui, min. 46), Joseph Aidoo, Marcos Alonso; Sergio Carreira, Ilaix Moriba, Hugo Sotelo, Óscar Mingueza (Yoel Lago, min. 89); Ferran Jutglà (Borja Iglesias, min. 71), Hugo Álvarez (Williot Swedberg, min. 46) and Pablo Durán (Fer López, min. 46).
Goals: 1-0, min. 11: Guido. 1-1, min. 55: Ilaix Moriba. 1-2, min. 59: Fer López. 1-3, min. 80: Williot Swedberg. 2-3, min. 93: Guido.
Referee: Iosu Galech (Navarre Committee). Yellow cards were shown to Javi Rodríguez, Marcos Alonso, and Hugo Sotelo for Celta, and to Guido for Valencia.
Incidents: 43,764 at Mestalla Stadium for the LaLiga EA Sports Matchday 30 fixture. Before the match, José Luis Gayà received a commemorative jersey from Enrique Saura in honor of his 400th appearance for Valencia CF.
