Girona vs Celta Vigo prediction: SPAIN: LaLiga betting tips on match 2022-08-25 18:00.
Following their return to La Liga (LL) after a three-season absence, Girona certainly haven’t disgraced themselves so far. Valencia needed a penalty to dispatch the LL new-comers in the opening round, before Girona picked up their first win of the LL season against Getafe on Monday (3-1). Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola was an interested spectator in the Estadi Montilivi stands for that one.
You’d have to go back to March 2018 for the last time Girona won back-to-back LL home matches, but with a 100% winning record against Celta Vigo at home in the Spanish top-flight (W2), Girona will hope to end that wait here. This game falling on a Friday may throw a spanner in the works though, with Girona winless in their last four LL home games held on that day (D2, L2).
With two winless home games to kick-start their LL season (D1, L1), Celta Vigo may be glad to get on the road in search of their first league victory of the season. Yet they did end last season poorly on their travels after winning just one of their last ten LL away games (D3, L6), six of which saw Eduardo Coudet’s side fail to score, raising doubts over their credentials here.
Scoring hasn’t been the issue for Celta this season, but rather their performance at the other end of the pitch, with six goals against ranking as the league’s joint-highest. Perhaps fitness and concentration has played a part with four of those coming after the break. However, a Friday night fixture may prove the perfect tonic to end that leaky run, as they boast back-to-back away LL clean sheets in games held on a Friday (W1, D1), the last of which was also against newly-promoted opposition – a 0-0 draw against Mallorca last season.
Players to watch: Girona’s Cristhian Stuani has opened the scoring with three of his last four LL goals and has netted four goals in his last five clashes against Celta. Meanwhile, Iago Aspas is at the heart of all things good about Celta, with two first half strikes so far this season.
Hot stat: Six of Celta’s last eight LL away goals came in the first half.