Key Highlights
- Vincenzo Italiano celebrates his 48th birthday while preparing for a crucial match.
- Bologna’s coach highlights the defensive struggles and mentions injuries.
- Celta Vigo is favored to win, according to Italiano.
- Probable lineups are provided for both teams ahead of their clash.
The Match-up: Celta Vigo vs. Bologna
Vincenzo Italiano, the coach of Bologna, turned 48 just yesterday and is now leading his team in a pivotal match against Celta Vigo. With both teams eyeing crucial points to secure their positions in Serie A, the stakes are high.
Italiano’s Optimism
Italiano expressed his hopes for the upcoming match: “What gift did I ask of my players? To always leave the pitch with our heads held high. For us, it’s a chance to add points and get closer to our dream: we want to reach the round of 16.” He emphasized the importance of the match by saying, “Along with Aston Villa, they’re the best-equipped team we’ll face,” referring to Celta Vigo.
Defensive Struggles and Injuries
The coach acknowledged the defensive challenges his team is facing: “Defensively, we’re in a very difficult moment, but luckily I have intelligent players capable of adapting to all roles.” He listed some of the injuries that are impacting the team’s performance: “Ferguson has had a fever for two or three days,” and “Vitik and Casale are injured.” The coach also mentioned the positive aspect of Heggem playing consistently.
Team Lineups and Strategy
The probable lineup for Celta Vigo is as follows: 13 Radu; 32 Javi Rodriguez, 2 Starfelt, 20 Alonso; 5 Carreira, 16 Roman, 6 Moriba, 3 Mingueza; 18 Duran, 15 Zaragoza; 7 Iglesias. The bench includes: 1 Villar, 25 Villar M., 12 Fernandez, 17 Rueda, 21 Ristic, 24 Carlos Dominguez, 8 Fran Beltran, 14 Damian Rodriguez, 22 Sotelo, 23 Hugo Alvarez, 9 Ferran Jutglà, 10 Aspas, 11 Cervi.
Bologna’s probable lineup is: 13 Ravaglia; 2 Holm, 14 Heggem, 26 Lucumi, 33 Miranda; 6 Moro, 4 Pobega; 7 Orsolini, 80 Fabbian, 30 Benjamin Dominguez; 24 Dallinga. The bench includes: 82 Franceschelli, 25 Pessina, 20 Zortea, 22 Lykogiannis, 19 Ferguson, 21 Odgaard, 10 Bernardeschi, 11 Rowe, 28 Cambiaghi, 9 Castro.
Stadium and Referee
The match will take place at the Estadio Bailados, with the referee being Petrescu from Romania. The match is set to start at 21:00 local time.
Celta Vigo’s coach Claudio Giráldez adds a note of optimism for his team, stating that their goal is “to play a great game” as part of their growth journey. He acknowledges the challenges ahead but remains confident in his players’ ability to perform under pressure.
