Real Betis Vs Celta Vigo: Giráldez Defends Fer López As Borja Iglesias Seeks First Betis Goal
Claudio Giráldez heads into the Real Betis Vs Celta Vigo meeting insisting the club’s young forward is in a normal process after a recent drop in minutes, while Borja Iglesias remains without a LaLiga goal against his former team as Betis aim to return to winning ways.
Real Betis Vs Celta Vigo: Giráldez On Fer López’s Form
Giráldez addressed Fer López’s situation in the pre-match press conference, describing the player’s recent sequence as a normal part of development and stressing that not every match can be an athlete’s best. He noted that tactical circumstances influenced selection against Lyon, when the team finished a man down and had to alter substitution plans; the coach also mentioned a teammate’s stomach problems limited offensive changes.
Since returning to Vigo, Fer López has appeared in nine matches: six in the domestic league and three in the Europa League. In league play he has been a starter in five of those six fixtures, while in the continental competition he has not started and had no minutes in the most recent European match. In the last league outing at Balaídos against Real Madrid he began on the bench and entered in the second half.
Borja Iglesias Still Searching For That Betis Goal And Could Start
Betis travel to La Cartuja seeking to get back on the winning path in the league, and the clash is being billed as a fight for the fifth-place zone. One of the storylines concerns Borja Iglesias: the striker, who won the Copa del Rey with Betis in 2022 and moved to Celta last summer after a previous loan spell, has yet to score against his former club in LaLiga.
Across his Primera División career he has found the net against 25 of the 27 opponents he has faced; Eibar and Betis remain the only teams he has not scored against in the top flight. He did manage to score against Betis in the Copa del Rey while playing for another club. This season he has contributed goals across competitions and has been included in recent national team call-ups, increasing attention on his form.
His expulsion in the first leg of the Europa League round of 16 has been highlighted as a factor that could influence selection for the La Cartuja match: that disciplinary absence in the return leg raises the possibility that he may start the league fixture.
Match Stakes And What To Watch
The game carries implications for both clubs’ cup ambitions and league positioning. Betis will be looking to halt a downturn and consolidate their place among the contenders for the fifth spot, while Celta must manage squad rotation and player form — notably Fer López’s minutes and Giráldez’s tactical choices — as they balance domestic and European commitments.
Expect close attention on the attacking decisions from both managers: whether Borja Iglesias can finally break his LaLiga duck against his former club, and whether Fer López regains consistent playing time after a recent run of limited minutes in Europe.
