Celta Vigo vs Espanyol prediction: SPAIN: LaLiga betting tips on match 2022-08-12 15:00.
After finishing outside La Liga’s (LL) top ten last season for the fifth time across the previous six campaigns, Celta Vigo will hope they can gate-crash into the European spots this time around as the club gets ready for their centenary celebrations next year. There's no doubting their intent as an ambitious rebuild saw Celta have one of the busiest summers in LL, headlined by a contract extension for club legend Iago Aspas.
Celta will be cautious of slow starts though, having failed to win any of their last six LL season openers (D2, L4). However they couldn't have asked for a better fixture to change that as they’re unbeaten across their last nine LL home games against Espanyol (W4, D5), a run which started back in 2013 and saw Celta score in every game.
That record doesn't spell good news for Espanyol who themselves are poor starters with no wins across their last five LL season openers (D3, L2). As the off-field action circles around a prospective takeover bid by the same Qatari group that owns Paris Saint-Germain, the on-field focus will be on new manager Diego MartĂnez who's tasked with lifting his side from a 14th-place finish last campaign, although a rift with key striker RaĂşl de Tomás has left some fans divided.
One way of winning them over is surely to start impressively, and MartĂnez’s LL record against Celta (W1, D2, L1) may be a catalyst for that. Three of his four previous games came with a clean sheet, which would be a welcome sight for Espanyol fans who witnessed just two in away action last league season.
Players to watch: Celta’s Aspas finished last season as the top-scoring Spaniard for the fourth-time in a top-flight season, and has nine contributions (G5, A4) in 15 top-flight games against Espanyol. Meanwhile, Espanyol’s new signing Joselu will look to write a new chapter as his seven LL games against Celta have resulted in six losses (G1).
Hot stat: Espanyol were the only side not to win an away match when scoring first (D3, L1) last league season.