La Liga preview and odds: Celta de Vigo vs Sporting Gijon

La Liga preview and odds: Celta de Vigo vs Sporting Gijon

Sep 21, 2016 20:00pm - Estadio de Balaídos

La Liga

Slow-out-of-the-blocks Celta de Vigo will look to kick start their season when they welcome eighth-ranked Sporting Gijon to Galicia on Wednesday evening.

Slow start for Europa league contenders

After qualifying for the Europa League last term thanks to a strong league campaign, Celta de Vigo fans would have been hoping for more of the same this time round. But so far, the Galician side have struggled to get going on all fronts.

They started the season with three straight defeats, although they did play Madrid`s big two in that spell, before bagging their first point with a 0-0 draw at newly-promoted Osasuna last week.

That point ensured that Eduardo Berizzo`s men remained one place above bottom club Valencia in 19th place. Their Europa League campaign started on a more positive note with a 1-1 draw away to Standard Liège.

In stark contrast to Os Celticos, Sporting Gijon have had a bright start to the new season. The team that narrowly avoided relegation last term kicked off this year`s campaign with a 2-1 win at home to Athletic Club and followed that up with a 0-0 draw at Deportivo Alaves and a win at home to Leganes. Their unbeaten run finally came to an end when they were hammered 5-0 at Atletico Madrid last week.

Team news

The home side will be without the services of Planas, Fabian Orellana and Claudio Beauvue. Orellana has scored the team`s only goal of the season so far.

Berizzo may decide to start with Iago Aspas who proved to be such an effective foil to Nolito last term.

Meanwhile, the visitors will have to make do without Moi Gomez, while Viguera may step in for Isma Lopez.

Recent form (League)

Celta de Vigo: LLLD

Sporting Gijon: LWDW

Betting odds and tips

The home side have scored just one goal in the league this season and the loss of Nolito to Manchester City already seems to have affected the team. However, Sporting have won just one of their last 17 La Liga matches on the road and have not won a league clash in Vigo since 1993.

A combination of the home side`s current run of form and the visitor`s poor record on this ground makes the stalemate the standout bet for this game.

You can back the draw at 3/1 with our recommended bookmaker Bet365

By Neil Morris

Go To bet365

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20/09/2016     © Frixo 2024