Football Season Guide

Claudio Giraldez led Celta Vigo to their best finish in a decade last season, as the Galicians showed no sign of being distracted by European competition. This year, they will once again balance Europa League action and the league again, with Giraldez looking to build on his young squad. There have been a number of outgoings, and Celta's squad is looking slimmer this season. That's not a major concern, as Celta had one of the league's biggest squads last season and regularly left players out for technical reasons. This year's approach focuses on improving the quality, bringing in proven talents like Javier Galan and Aleix Febas, while letting go those who were on the periphery last season like Mihailo Ristic and Franco Cervi. One area for improvement is home form. Only relegated Real Oviedo recorded fewer points at home last season, but it's also true that only Real Madrid suffered fewer defeats away from their home stadium. Finding balance there could be crucial. Consistency is something that Celta Vigo have come to count on several of their players for. Borja Iglesias comes from Spain's World Cup winning squad looking to build on his best season at the club with 18 goals last season, and Ilaix Moriba is beginning to show signs of fulfilling his early potential in midfield. The start to the campaign could be important. Last season it took 10 league games before recording a winner, and that slow start ultimately cost Celta a Champions League place. That is the aim for Celta, though it would require their best performance since 2003, and their young squad is edging closer to achieving it.