Espanyol vs Celta Vigo prediction 14.02.2026 | La Liga

Last season felt like survival mode. Promotion through the playoffs, then a narrow escape from relegation. It was tense. You could almost hear the anxiety in the stands.

This year has been different. Sixth place at this stage is no small achievement. If Manolo González’s men hold it, this would be Espanyol’s best finish since 2004-05. That is significant history. However, recent form muddies the optimism.

A six match winless run is hard to ignore. Five defeats in that stretch. More worrying is the defensive leak, over two goals conceded per game recently.

Still, the RCDE has been kind. Six of ten league wins came at home. Roberto Fernández, with five league goals, should spearhead the attack. Pere Milla adds another six from midfield areas, often arriving late into the box.

Javi Puado’s cruciate injury is a blow. Beyond that, González has a relatively clean squad, which at this stage of the season feels like quiet good fortune.

Celta’s recent years have been a slow climb back toward relevance. A seventh place finish last season ended a long wait for European qualification. Now the Sky Blues sit in that same position again. Consistent, yes. Convincing, maybe not entirely.

Claudio Giráldez’s side are winless in four. Two draws, two defeats. The attack stalled in one of those away games, which hints at fragility.

Yet away form overall has been respectable. Just one defeat in the last eight road trips across all competitions. That is not accidental.

Borja Iglesias remains the reference point up front with nine goals and two assists in 21 league appearances. At 33, the striker still finds space in clever ways.

Wolves loanee Fer López and Hugo Álvarez offer support, though neither is prolific. No major injury crisis here, which gives Celta options from the bench if the game opens late.