Celta Vigo welcomes relegation-threatened Las Palmas to Balaídos on Monday evening, and momentum lies firmly with the hosts. The Sky Blues are looking to make it three wins on the bounce as they face Las Palmas, who are in dire need of points to escape the relegation zone.
Celta Vigo currently sits in ninth place in La Liga, with a chance to jump to seventh if they secure a victory against Los Amarillos. They have been in impressive form, riding a six-match unbeaten streak, including back-to-back wins over Leganés and Real Valladolid. Their home form has been particularly strong, having collected 29 points from 14 home games this season, a record that places them among the strongest home performers in the league.
In contrast, Las Palmas is struggling at the bottom of the table, currently 19th and winless in their last ten La Liga fixtures. Their defensive woes are evident, having conceded 47 goals in 28 matches, the second-worst tally in the division. The visitors have only managed to earn 11 points from 14 away games, highlighting their difficulties on the road.
The last time these two teams met, Celta Vigo emerged victorious with a 1-0 win in October, and they are expected to dominate this matchup as well. Celta has enjoyed recent dominance in this fixture, winning both of the last two meetings, including a 4-1 victory last season. With the attacking trio of Iago Aspas, Alfon Gonzalez, and Borja Iglesias firing on all cylinders, Celta is poised to exploit Las Palmas' shaky defense.
Despite their struggles, Las Palmas does have some attacking talent, with Fabio Silva and Sandro Ramirez leading the charge. However, the team has become overly reliant on these two players, and the lack of support from midfield has made it challenging for them to find the back of the net consistently.
In terms of team news, Celta Vigo will be without Oscar Mingueza, who is suspended after picking up his fifth yellow card in the previous match. Williot Swedberg is also sidelined due to a thigh injury, having not featured since early March. Head coach Claudio Giráldez is expected to name a similar starting XI to the one that defeated Valladolid, with Marcos Alonso likely to fill in for Mingueza.
Las Palmas, on the other hand, will miss Benito Ramirez for a third consecutive match due to a muscular issue, while Andy Pelmard is set to sit out for a fifth match. The team has received a boost with the return of Dario Essugo and Viti Rozada, who both missed the last match due to suspension.
As the game approaches, the odds are heavily in favor of Celta Vigo, who are priced at 4/7 to win. Las Palmas, struggling for form, are 5/1 to secure an upset victory, while the draw is priced at 3/1. The betting market suggests a high-scoring affair could be on the cards, with both teams to score at 10/11 and over 2.5 total goals at 4/5.
Key players to watch include Celta’s captain Iago Aspas, who has eight goals in 21 La Liga appearances this season and is leading the anytime goalscorer market at 11/8. Borja Iglesias, who has five goals in 28 games, is also a significant attacking threat for the hosts. For Las Palmas, Fabio Silva is considered their most likely goalscorer at 11/4, but the team’s overall form raises concerns about their ability to capitalize on scoring opportunities.
Las Palmas' last victory in Vigo came back in 2011, during their time in the second division, and given the current trajectories of both teams, it seems unlikely that they will break that drought tonight. Celta’s defensive stability, combined with their fluid attacking play, suggests a comfortable evening for the home side.
As the match kicks off at 20:00, all eyes will be on whether Celta can continue their strong home form and push for European qualification, while Las Palmas will be desperate to find a way to climb out of the relegation zone. The stakes are high, and with the current form and history favoring Celta, it’s hard to see anything but a home victory.
Best bet: Celta Vigo to win and over 2.5 goals.
