Claudio Giráldez Reflects on Key Milestones Ahead of Return to Sánchez-Pizjuán

Claudio Giráldez will never forget March 17, 2024, nor will he forget his return to the Sánchez-Pizjuán stadium this coming Monday. On that date, he made his debut in La Liga with Celta, his beloved club, after coaching various teams in lower divisions.

In that inaugural match, he celebrated a victory with a score of 1-2. Youssef En-Nesyri initially put Sevilla ahead, but the game turned in Celta’s favor with goals from Carles Pérez and Larsen, both of whom are not part of the current Vigo squad. Of the 16 Celta players who participated that day, half remain under Giráldez’s guidance, including Mingueza, Starfelt, Carlos Domínguez, Cervi, Hugo Álvarez, Hugo Sotelo, Beltrán, and Iago Aspas.

Since that memorable day 22 months ago, Claudio Giráldez has accumulated 79 matches as Celta’s head coach, comprising 66 in La Liga, 7 in the Copa del Rey, and 6 in the Europa League. Under his leadership, the team managed to avoid relegation in his first season, qualified for the Europa League in his second, and is currently competing for European spots in La Liga while remaining active in continental competition.

This will mark Giráldez’s third visit to Sánchez-Pizjuán. Last season, Celta lost 1-0 in Sevilla, resulting in a record of one win and one loss for the coach during his encounters at the Seville venue.

The match will also see the return of Iago Aspas, who played at Sánchez-Pizjuán during the 2014-15 season, where he participated in 24 official matches and scored 10 goals.