Celta Vigo players remain puzzled by their inconsistent home form at Balaídos, despite an otherwise stellar campaign under Claudio Giráldez. Defender Sergio Carreira insists these setbacks should not derail the club’s push for European qualification.
“At times we played very well. They were fighting for their lives, they’ve had a good run, and they proved to be a worthy opponent. It was a hard-fought match. They scored two long-range efforts and capitalized on a poorly defended set piece. We didn’t play badly at all,” the Vigo native said.
“I can’t really explain what’s happening at home. We haven’t felt comfortable in recent matches. But I believe we’re on a good run, and this shouldn’t stop the team’s ambitions. We have to keep going the same way,” Carreira added.
Meanwhile, Javi Rueda returned to the starting lineup after serving a suspension, despite lingering muscle issues. The Andalusian played a key role in both of Celta’s goals, bringing his season assist tally in La Liga to seven.
“We played well, we did what we had to do, except for the bad luck of conceding two goals from outside the box, which are harder to control. The team gave everything on the pitch, but we knew Levante came here needing a win to pull away from the relegation zone,” Rueda explained.
The defender remains confident that the team can recover from the setback with victories in the two remaining games. “We have another big game this weekend, and we’ll try to take all three points in Bilbao. Both the fans and the team are still dreaming. We want to return to Europe because this year has been wonderful,” he added.