Celta De Vigo - R.c.d. Mallorca: Aidoo Returns as Celta Balances Europa League Toll and Domestic Slump
The Celta De Vigo - R. c. d. Mallorca clash this Sunday at Balaídos arrives with a notable squad update: Joseph Aidoo has been recalled to a 24-player list named by coach Claudio Giráldez. The selection matters because Celta must manage the physical and mental fatigue produced by an intense Europa League tie while trying to end a four-match winless run in the domestic league.
Development details — Celta De Vigo - R. c. d. Mallorca
Giráldez delayed publication of his 24-man roster as he awaited the recovery status of several players; the final list includes the return of centre-back Joseph Aidoo and omits academy graduate Yoel Lago. Franco Cervi is another technical discard and remains the outfield player with the fewest minutes this season, yet he has not made a league appearance in the campaign so far. Two absences are injury-related: Hugo Sotelo and Álvaro Núñez are unavailable. Club staff note that Álvaro Núñez is progressing positively from pubalgia and that his debut in the first team is drawing nearer.
The squad announcement follows an exhausting trip to Salónica for the Europa League tie with PAOK, a match influenced by two pivotal VAR interventions: a Jutglà goal was annulled by millimeters and a later play saw the Swedish forward Jeremejeff’s position validated for a 1-2. Those decisions left the Celta coaching staff to weigh rotation and recovery ahead of the Balaídos fixture.
Context and escalation
Celta arrive at this home match situated in the top half of the table but under pressure from results: the team has gone four consecutive rounds without a win, producing two draws and two defeats in that span. The European calendar has intensified selection dilemmas: several players who were rested or used sparingly against PAOK — among them Matías Vecino, Fer López, Hugo Álvarez and Ferran Jutglá — now present increased options for the starting eleven. Giráldez has kept three central defenders largely consistent in both fixtures, with Javi Rodríguez, Carl Starfelt and Marcos Alonso prominent, while goalkeeper rotation includes Ionut Radu as a notable exception.
On the opposing bench, Jagoba Arrasate brings a Mallorca side that has suffered mixed domestic form and arrives in Vigo without Yusuf Kumbulla, Kyogo Asano and Salas; however, Mallorca travelled with experienced names such as Sergi Darder and the young Jan Virgili. The islanders have won only one of their last four matches and have shown particular vulnerability away from home, having managed just a single victory and a couple of draws on the road. Their defensive record also stands out in the statistics cited by their staff, with 25 goals conceded in first halves that underline a persistent early-match fragility.
Immediate impact
The immediate consequence of the squad decisions is twofold: Celta must field a competitive team capable of arresting the slide in domestic form, and at the same time safeguard players' fitness ahead of the continuation of their European campaign. That trade-off is visible in the recalls and rests — Aidoo’s inclusion tightens defensive options, while the omissions of Yoel Lago and Franco Cervi reflect tactical priorities and minute management. For Mallorca, absences in the travelling group further complicate their already fragile away record and increase reliance on forwards like Vedat Muriqi, who has reached 16 league goals.
What makes this notable is the compressed recovery window between continental and domestic fixtures: the physical demands from the trip to Greece and the mental effect of marginal VAR rulings directly shape lineup choices and the match dynamic at Balaídos.
Forward outlook
The next confirmed milestone is the domestic fixture at Balaídos this Sunday, a match Giráldez has described as vital for the club’s league ambitions. Squad management signals to monitor in the immediate future include a probable increased role for players who were spared heavy minutes in Salónica, and the nearing availability of Álvaro Núñez, whose recovery from pubalgia places him on the cusp of a first-team debut. Matías Vecino remains a candidate for a league appearance, as the coach evaluates rotation options to refresh the side.
Both teams enter a compact sequence of fixtures that will test squad depth and coaching decisions; for Celta, the outcome at Balaídos will measure whether the tactical adjustments and Aidoo’s return are sufficient to halt the winless run and preserve momentum in a season where European and domestic calendars collide.
