Celta de Vigo faces Real Betis amid travel delays and injuries

Celta de Vigo prepares to host Real Betis at Balaídos following a challenging week. The team’s return from their Europa League victory against Celtic in Glasgow was significantly delayed due to a technical issue with their charter flight, resulting in the squad arriving in Vigo late Friday night.

Coach Claudio Giráldez noted that the delay disrupted the team’s recovery and training schedule, leaving them with only one full training session to prepare for the match. Despite these setbacks, Giráldez stated that the fatigue and travel issues "must not serve as an excuse" for the team's performance.

Celta is also managing a depleted squad, with five players—Álvaro Núñez, Miguel Román, Jones El-Abdellaoui, Carl Starfelt, and Borja Iglesias—currently sidelined by injury. This has resulted in a shortened squad of only 22 available players.

In contrast, Real Betis arrives in Vigo in strong form, maintaining a perfect record in the Champions League and performing well in LaLiga. Giráldez described the opposition as "one of the best in history," highlighting their talent and tactical consistency under manager Manuel Pellegrini.