Giráldez keeps it real: Celta boss blocks out the noise ahead of crucial Mallorca clash
Claudio Giráldez spoke ahead of Celta's vital home game against Mallorca, addressing the team's focus, Aspas's future, and the relegation picture.
Claudio Giráldez held his pre-match press conference on Saturday with a clear message: forget everything else, it’s all about Mallorca right now.
Eyes on the prize
Celta go into Sunday’s game having not won in four matches, and Giráldez was in no mood to dress that up. He was direct about just how important this one is — describing it as “vital” — and made it pretty clear that anyone letting their minds wander elsewhere is making a big mistake. The gaffer was adamant that the only thing that matters right now is what’s in front of them.
With Mallorca currently sitting in the relegation zone, a Celta win would push them towards 37 points — and Giráldez reckons the final safety mark will land somewhere around 42 or 43 points, so there’s still a fair bit of work to do. But three points here would be a proper step in the right direction.
The Mallorca threat — don’t sleep on them
Giráldez was careful not to write off the visitors, even with them down in the drop zone. A few things he flagged:
- Mallorca have had a full week to prepare for this one, while Celta have had just a day to recover from their European exertions
- They have “very specific strengths” as a side, even if the results haven’t been going their way
- He genuinely doesn’t believe they’ll end up getting relegated, so this is no gimme
He made a point of calling on the Celta faithful to get behind the team and help them through what could be a draining afternoon.
Aspas: the question that won’t go away
Obviously, everyone wants to know what Iago Aspas is going to do about his future. Giráldez’s take was measured — the club want him to stay, the fans want him to stay, and those around him day-to-day can see he’s still got the energy and the hunger. But the manager was clear that one good performance doesn’t settle it. It’s a decision that’ll come down to how Aspas feels across the whole season — mentally and physically — not just one sparkling night.
At least the recent form hasn’t hurt his cause, mind.
How far has this squad come?
Giráldez was genuinely upbeat about Celta’s development this season. The players are getting to grips with what he wants in every phase of play, and he feels the understanding of his system has grown considerably. His main gripe? Consistency. There have been stretches where they’ve dropped off a bit, and he wants them to string more quality moments together across 90 minutes.
Still, he was at pains to say he couldn’t really ask much more of the group given how demanding the season has been.
The bottom line
Celta are in a decent spot in the table, and Giráldez knows it. But he’s not about to let anyone get ahead of themselves — not with Mallorca coming to town and three points still very much up for grabs. Job one, job two, and job three this weekend: focus.