Giráldez buzzing as Celta's perfect 2026 start continues
Celta Vigo boss Claudio Giráldez can't hide his delight as his side make it three league wins from three in 2026, with Bryan Zaragoza starring in victory over Rayo.
Celta Vigo continue their sparkling form into the new year with Claudio Giráldez’s men making it a perfect hat-trick of victories to kick off 2026.
Perfect start to the year
You’d be hard-pressed to find a happier gaffer in La Liga right now than Claudio Giráldez, whose Celta side have been absolutely mustard since the calendar flipped to 2026. The boss was positively beaming after their latest triumph against Rayo Vallecano, making it three wins from three in the league this year.
“It’s impossible to start the year better,” Giráldez gushed post-match, clearly chuffed with his team’s defensive solidity as well, having conceded just one goal in their last six league outings.
Survival first, dreams second
Despite the purple patch, Giráldez is keeping his plates of meat firmly on the ground. With 32 points already bagged, the Celta boss reckons they need at least 10 more to secure safety – though he suspects the survival threshold might creep up this term with the bottom teams all scrapping for points.
“We’re getting closer to safety, but there are still 18 matches to go,” he cautioned, reminding everyone they’re competing on two fronts and need to maintain focus. The gaffer’s clearly learned from past experiences where taking eyes off the prize has cost them.
Bryan Zaragoza takes centre stage
One of the talking points from the Rayo victory was Bryan Zaragoza stepping up to take a penalty ahead of designated taker Marcos Alonso. Far from being miffed, Giráldez was delighted with both the outcome and Zaragoza’s overall performance.
The boss praised Zaragoza’s growing confidence and especially his defensive work rate, noting how he continued pressing into the 90th minute and recovered well after losing duels. Giráldez seems particularly chuffed with the lad’s evolution as a more complete player.
Fans plead for Mingueza to stay
In a touching moment, the Balaídos faithful made their feelings crystal clear with chants of “Mingueza quédate” (Mingueza stay) ringing around the ground. Giráldez revealed he’d pointed this out to the player after the match, with Mingueza apparently oblivious to the fan support during the game.
The atmosphere around Celta is positively buzzing at the moment, with Giráldez describing the current situation as “idyllic” for any manager. With the team firing on all cylinders and the fans firmly behind them, it’s looking like 2026 could be a right bobby dazzler for the Galicians.