Celta Vigo vs Athletic Bilbao – News and Probable Lineups

On Sunday evening, two teams seeking to secure their first victories in the new LaLiga season will clash at the Estadio de Balaidos, with both Celta Vigo and Athletic Bilbao eager to break their streak of losses.

Claudio Giraldez’s squad has faced challenges in their initial two fixtures, while Edin Terzic is still in search of his maiden win as the manager of Athletic Bilbao after experiencing back-to-back defeats at the start of the season.

Match overview

Celta Vigo heads into this weekend’s match having collected only one point from their first two encounters, starting the season with a goalless draw against Valencia and subsequently suffering a 2-1 defeat at home to Osasuna on Thursday.

In the match against Osasuna, Celta initially took the lead in the 14th minute and seemed to be in control, but a red card issued to Marcos Alonso in the 51st minute following a VAR review for a dangerous play altered the dynamics of the game drastically.

Kike Barja equalized for Osasuna shortly after in the 54th minute, and Ante Budimir converted a penalty in the 64th minute to complete the comeback, leaving Celta yet to gain a point at home this season.

This start is disappointing for a club that secured Europa League action last season by finishing in sixth place, and Giraldez will be acutely aware that another loss could put them in a precarious position in the early league table.

Athletic Bilbao is in a similar predicament, having lost both of their opening matches in what has been a disappointing beginning to the Terzic era.

Their 3-1 loss at home to Sevilla on the opening day, influenced by Yuri Berchiche’s red card in the 11th minute, was followed by a 2-0 defeat to reigning champions Barcelona, where Athletic failed to register a single shot on target throughout the match.

These defeats mark a tough spell for the club, finishing 12th last season and missing out on European competition for the first time since the 2022-23 season when they ended in eighth place in La Liga.

Terzic will realize that results are needed quickly, and a game against a Celta side missing a suspended defender presents an opportunity to secure his first victory—although Athletic’s own defensive weaknesses make this no straightforward task.

The history between the two teams is quite even, with both clubs winning twice and sharing points once in their last five encounters.

The latest match in May ended 1-1, with Celta taking an early lead before Inaki Williams equalized for Bilbao.

Team News

For Celta, Marcos Alonso is serving a one-match ban due to his red card against Osasuna, prompting Giraldez to make adjustments to his defensive strategy for Sunday.

Borjan Iglesias will be absent due to a muscle injury and will not participate in this match.

Aspas, Duran, and Swedberg are expected to make up the attacking trio once again, with Giraldez likely retaining the same group that started against Osasuna.

Athletic Bilbao faces uncertainty with Andoni Gorosabel, who is doubtful for Sunday due to a physical issue, making his participation uncertain.

Benat Prados will be out with a thigh injury, while Daniel Vivian continues his recovery from a groin setback.

Unai Eguiluz is expected to have an extended period on the sidelines following a cruciate ligament injury sustained in May, with no return date yet determined.

Aymeric Laporte is anticipated to lead the Bilbao defense, while Nico Williams will play on the wing as Terzic seeks his first win at the helm.

Celta Vigo probable starting XI:

Radu; Rodriguez, Lago, Starfelt; Rueda, Roman, Moriba, Galan; Aspas, Duran, Swedberg

Athletic Bilbao probable starting XI:

Simon; Louis-Jean, Laporte, Alvarez, Rincon; Canales, Palace; Williams, Sancet, I. Williams; the cross

With neither team having found their scoring form this season, and Athletic failing to secure a clean sheet in their initial two matches, it is challenging to back Terzic’s side for a victory here. However, Celta’s inconsistency also suggests that a draw may be the most probable result this Sunday evening.