Celta Vigo striker Iago Aspas. (Photo : Getty Images)
Spanish powerhouse team Celta de Vigo is scheduled to host newly-promoted squad CD Leganes at their home stadium of Estadio Municipal de Balaídos on Monday, August 22 in the final matchday of the opening round of the 2016-2017 La Liga season.
Celta de Vigo finished at the sixth spot of the Spanish top flight table at the end of last season as they claimed one of two Europa League qualifying berths in La Liga along with fifth-placed side Athletic Bilbao, who only led them by two points in the standings.
Os Célticos split their eight-game preseason campaign to four wins and four losses since July as the team prepares for the new term. Their final friendly before going against Leganes ended in a 1-3 defeat to Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt at the Commerzbank-Arena in Germany last Saturday, as per Sofa Score.
Argentine head coach Eduardo Berizzo returns for his third season with the club and had completed a few new signings this summer, namely defenders Facundo Roncaglia and David Costas from Fiorentina and Mallorca, midfielders Alvaro Lemos and Pione Sisto from Lugo and Midtjylland, and forward Jose Naranjo from Gimnastic.
One big-name players who left the squad, though, was striker Nolito who joined English Premier League giants Manchester City last month.
Meanwhile, Leganes finished last season as runners-up to Deportivo Alaves in the Segunda Division as they became one of the three teams to get promoted this term.
Their preseason stint was much less to be desired with only three wins in seven games, including a four-game winless streak.
Lega won their last friendly, though, as they pulled off a stunning 3-2 victory over powerhouse La Liga squad Villarreal at their home field of Estadio Municipal de Butarque also last Saturday, via Soccerway.
Spanish bench tactician Asier Garitano will still be managing the team this term, his fourth with the club.
Some of the team's new acquisitions to debut in the opening week are goalkeeper Alberto Brignoli on loan from Juventus, defenders Diego Rico, Carl Medjani, and Adrian Marin from Zaragoza, Levante, and Villarreal, midfielders Unai Lopez and Ruben Perez from Athletic Bilbao and Granada, and forwards Miguel Angel Guerrero and Darwin Machis from Sporting Gijon and Granada as well.
The predicted result is a 2-0 romp for Celta Vigo.
Celta Vigo starting lineup (4-2-3-1 formation): Alvarez; Jonny, Mallo, Fontas, Planas; Cabral, Roncaglia; Guidetti, Hernandez, Bongonda; Aspas
Leganes starting lineup (5-4-1 formation): Brignoli; Bustinza, Marin, Mantovani, Medjani, Rico; Martin, Gabriel, Dovale, Szymanowski; Guerrero
