Balaídos welcomes Athletic Club on Saturday 30 August 2026 (19:30 CEST). Iago Aspas remains Celta's talisman; Athletic reply with the Williams brothers and Unai Simón in one of La Liga's fiercest fixtures.
Celta Vigo: team news
Everything Celta do in this 4-2-3-1 still runs through Aspas linking play to Borja Iglesias up top. Marcos Alonso brings experience to the back line, and Balaídos itself has been a genuinely tougher place to visit under the current project.
Celta Vigo Predicted Starting XI & Lineup · 4-2-3-1
Official lineups confirmed 1 hour before kick-off.
Athletic Club: team news
Ernesto Valverde's Athletic bring trademark intensity. Nico and Iñaki Williams stretch defences; Laporte and Yeray form an experienced centre-back pairing.
The tactical picture
Aspas in the half-spaces vs Athletic's aggressive press — whoever wins the first 20 minutes sets the tone at Balaídos.
Picks worth knowing
- Iago Aspas (Celta, FWD): the captain, and still Celta's main threat.
- Nico Williams (Athletic, FWD): pace against Celta's high line.
- Borja Iglesias (Celta, FWD): takes the penalties whenever Celta win one.
- Predictor: Celta Vigo 2–1 Athletic Club.
Final prediction
Aspas decides it at Balaídos. Prediction: Celta Vigo 2–1 Athletic Club.