Match Pack: RC Celta vs Athletic Club (LaLiga MD19)

The Lions' booked their place in the Copa semi-finals with a 1-3 victory over Valencia CF, but focus now switches to Sunday's LaLiga fixture in Vigo.

The match is significant for both sides. Ernesto Valverde's Lions are looking to get back in the race for European football, while Celta, 17th in the table, are desperate to put some space between themselves and the drop zone.

Match Info
RC Celta Vigo vs Athletic Club (Matchday 19)

Estadio de Balaídos (Vigo)

LaLiga Santander 22/23

Sunday January 29, 21:00 CET

How to Watch
Use our list of TV operators and global kick-off times to make sure you don't miss the match.

Team News
Valverde has named a 24-man squad for the clash. Centre-back Iñigo Martínez is the only player missing as he recovers from a heel injury.

Valverde's Comments
Ernesto Valverde says "moral is high after beating Valencia" while insisting the clash with Celta is a must-win match.

The Opponents

Head coach: Carlos Carvalhal
The 57-year-old Portuguese coach took over from Eduardo Coudet on November 22. Carvalhal has an extensive record in his home country having managed a wide variety of clubs, including top sides like SC Braga and Sporting CP.

Besides this new experience in Galicia he has worked in several foreign countries such as Greece (Asteras Tripolis), Turkey (Besiktas, Istanbul Basaksehir), United Kingdom (Sheffield Wednesday, Swansea City) and UAE (Al Wahda).

Top scorer: Iago Aspas
The 35-year-old talisman that just keeps giving for the Galician outfit.  Apart from a two-year stint with Liverpool which included a loan move to Sevilla, Aspas has spent his entire career with his boyhood club.

Celta's record goalscorer has 141 goals from 287 LaLiga apperances. So far this season he has eight goals in 18 matches.

Recent form (LaLiga): DDWDL
Los Celestes have struggled for consistency this year, currently lying in 17th, equal on points with 18th-placed Real Valladolid.

Results have picked up somewhat since LaLiga's return with Carvalhal side collecting two draws, a win and a loss in their last four matches. Their most recent outing saw them fall to a 1-0 away defeat against Real Mallorca.

Previous Meetings
Since their first ever LaLiga meeting, a 2-4 win for Los Leones at Balaidos in 1939/40, the two sides have faced each other a total of 112 times in the top-flight. The overall balance hangs in Athletic's favour with 59 wins, 24 draws and 29 defeats.

Clashes in Vigo are a slightly different story, although Athletic still have a respectable record at Balaidos, registering 19 victories, 13 draws and 24 defeats.

Los Rojiblancos have an outstanding modern record at Balaidos, only failing to pick up ar least a point on four occasions since the turn of the century. As for the last five fixtures in Vigo, the Zurigorri have two wins, a draw and two losses.

Los Rojiblancos brought home all three points from their visit to Vigo on the opening day of last season. Oihan Sancet played through Iñaki Williams to ensure the Lions started off the campaign on the right foot.