Celta Vigo vs Elche – News and Probable Lineups

Elche will be looking to secure their fourth consecutive victory in Spain’s top division when they face Celta Vigo on Sunday afternoon.

Thanks to their impressive performance, the visitors have climbed to 14th in the La Liga standings, while Celta sits in seventh, tied on points with sixth-placed Getafe in their pursuit of European qualification.

Match overview

Celta is currently embroiled in a contest for sixth place in Spain’s premier league, as the Sky Blues aim to secure European football for the 2026-27 season.

Under the management of Claudio Giraldez, the team reached the quarter-finals of this season’s Europa League, ultimately falling to German side Freiburg in the last eight, and they will now be aiming for at least a Conference League position for the forthcoming season.

Celta’s record this season stands at 11 wins, 11 draws, and 11 losses from 33 league games, placing them seventh in the rankings with 44 points, level with sixth-placed Getafe and six points behind fifth-placed Real Betis, with five matches remaining.

However, the Sky Blues have suffered defeats in their last five fixtures across all competitions and lost six of their last seven, including their last three in the league against Real Oviedo, Barcelona, and Villarreal.

Celta’s current slump has come at a critical juncture, just as they prepare to face an Elche team that has been in excellent form lately.

Amazingly, Elche heads into this match with three consecutive league victories against Valencia, Atletico Madrid, and Oviedo, claiming nine essential points in their battle against relegation.

Eder Sarabia’s men have actually won four of their last five league matches, propelling them to 14th place in the table, four points clear of 18th-placed Sevilla, making for an intriguing conclusion to the season in the relegation zone.

Despite this, Elche possesses the second-worst away record in the league this season, managing only one victory in 16 La Liga games on the road in 2025-26.

In contrast, Celta has the worst home record in the league, amassing just 17 points from 16 fixtures, with their success largely derived from being the third-best team away from home.

Earlier this season, Elche triumphed 2-1 against Celta on their home turf, but three of the last four encounters between these two teams have gone in favor of the Sky Blues.

Celta Vigo La Liga form:

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Celta Vigo form (all competitions):

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Elche La Liga form:

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Team News

Celta will be without three players due to injury for the match on Sunday, as Miguel Roman, Carl Starfelt, and Matias Vecino have been ruled out.

Additionally, Marcos Alonso will miss this match due to suspension after receiving a milestone yellow card in Celta’s recent clash with Villarreal.

Borja Iglesias has netted 16 goals in all competitions this season, and a strong finish to the campaign could potentially earn the Celta forward a spot in the Spain squad for the 2026 World Cup.

For Elche, Adam El Mokhtari and Yago Santiago are unavailable due to injury, while German Valera is serving a suspension following his red card in the team’s victory over Oviedo in their previous outing.

The visitors could maintain the same lineup from their last match against the league’s bottom team, with Andre Silva and Alvaro Rodriguez expected to continue as the front duo.

On-loan Barcelona defender Hector Fort has returned from a long-term shoulder injury and is in line for another start here.

Celta Vigo probable starting XI:

Radu; Nunez, Lago, Rodriguez; Mingueza, Lopez, Moriba, Carreira; Alvarez, Iglesias, Jutgla

Elche probable starting XI:

Dituro; Rice, Affengruber; Fort, Waterfall, Phoebus, Villar, Peter; Rodriguez, Silva

Celta have disappointed at home this season, making it challenging to back them for a victory in this match, particularly given the current form of both sides. Nevertheless, we anticipate Celta to be capable of earning at least a point this weekend.