Pablo Durán gives Celta Vigo a 1-0 lead over Union Saint-Gilloise in the Europa League

Early goal at Balaídos

Celta Vigo took the lead against Union Saint-Gilloise at the Abanca Balaídos stadium, where Pablo Durán deceived Union's Sylla with a quick sequence before firing an unstoppable shot. The most recent report, published at 21:17 local time, recorded the score at 1-0 to Celta. Union had started the match well before conceding, and the game was scheduled to kick off at 21:00. Ahead of the start, Balaídos dressed up for the occasion and sang the anthem to welcome its team, while La Vanguardia's live blog opened with a minute of silence for Jesús de Miguel and the victims of a train accident.

Line-ups and selection

Ferran Jutgla, the former Club Brugge striker, was named on the Union bench, while Kevin Rodríguez started up front ahead of Raul Florucz. Adem Zorgane, the Algerian midfielder, returned to the starting eleven after more than a month, having missed four matches through injury. Union lined up with Koffi in goal, Patris, Sylla, Havenaar and Chibani in defence, Van de Perre, Zorgane and Zeneli in midfield, and Guilherme Smith, Kevin Rodríguez and Mofokeng ahead. On the Celta side, Radu started in goal, with Javi Rodríguez, Yoel Lago and Marcos Alonso at the back. Javi Rueda, Febas, Hugo Burcio and Carreira formed the midfield, while Hugo Álvarez, Pablo Durán and Swedberg led the attack.

Form and standings

Union sit sixth in the Europa League league phase with 7 points, after wins at Plzeň and against Beer Sheva and a draw with Real Sociedad. The Brussels side had not lost for almost three months until a Champions League qualifier went to extra time and was lost at Bodø/Glimt. Celta are 24th in the Europa League table with 3 points, with one win and two defeats in the competition, and their only win came against Celtic, when Javi Rodríguez was the hero. In La Liga, Celta have 12 points from two wins, six draws and three defeats, which leaves them 10th.

Union Saint-Gilloise7

Celta Vigo3

Union Saint-Gilloise

7 points

Celta Vigo

3 points

Data from the article text

Coach's view

Celta's coach, Claudio Giráldez, spoke about the visitors in his pre-match comments and praised their record in European competition.

“It is one of the best teams we have analysed in European competition, both this year and last.”

Union have scored eight goals in the Europa League, with Guilherme Smith as the reference striker, and he has scored two of them. Union want to secure a place in the top half of the table with a good result in Vigo.