Giráldez Once More Surprised With His Team Selection

Celta Vigo kicked off their LaLiga campaign with a hard-fought point away at Mestalla, continuing their reputation as a reliable side on the road under coach Claudio Giráldez. Last season, the Galician club collected 31 points as visitors, and they again showed that resilience in the opening fixture, pushing for a winner in the closing stages. Giráldez once more surprised with his team selection.

Javi Galán, cleared to play just 24 hours earlier, started the match, while Javi Rueda began on the bench and came on for the final half-hour, easing speculation over his future. Moriba, who had not traveled with the squad for their preseason camp in Italy, returned to the matchday setup and played the last 15 minutes, though the midfielder remains a prime candidate to be sold this summer. Hugo González, the team's top scorer in preseason, did not get any minutes in his hometown.

Aleix Febas, making his debut as a Celta player this season, assessed the performance: "I think we played a good game, which as Claudio had said came in phases. We were good and stable when they pressed, and in the second half, especially at the start, we had a very good spell of dominance. We lacked a bit of depth.

It's a good start and we leave with good feelings. The midfielder said he has settled in quickly: "They've made it very easy for me and the coaching staff have helped me a lot. I'm feeling very comfortable.

I came because I'm very excited about a project like Celta's, which has had two European qualifications. I want to keep growing and learning.