Celta de Vigo captured a convincing Copa del Rey victory over Valencia on a night that will be remembered for Luca De la Torre’s elegant opener and Anastasios Douvikas’s clinical double. The win propels the Galician side into the quarterfinals, turning the tie in their favor after a match where they seized key moments and weathered the home pressure at Mestalla, sparked by Pepelu’s early penalty.
From the outset, Valencia pressed with gusto as fans in the stands sang, “Mestalla Wants the Cup.” Pepelu threaded a precise cross into the area in the second minute, and Paulista met it with a header that skimmed off the back of his head. The crowd roared with the early optimism, but Celta quickly settled, absorbing the hosts’ intensity while seeking opportunities to counter.
The visitors demonstrated discipline in defense, and every advance toward Jaume Doménech’s goal was met with resilience from Rubén Baraja’s side. Yet the moment of truth arrived after a corner delivered by Jaume found its mark. Kevin rose highest to direct the ball into the box, and De la Torre, spotting his chance, improvised with a clever heel flick and opened the scoring despite facing a defender’s back.
Valencia’s right side caused ongoing trouble for the home defense. Miguel Rodríguez broke through the lines repeatedly, only for Diego López to halt his runs with decisive challenges. The contest took on a disciplinary edge as the referee, Galician referee De Burgos Bengoechea, added a penalty after a contentious decision when De Burgos Bengoechea judged a handball off a cross from Douvikas. Douvikas stepped up and converted with composure to double the score, sending Jaume Doménech the wrong way while the ball nestled in the corner.
Valencia, facing a daunting prognosis, showed signs of strain beyond the scoreline. They failed to win critical duels and were outfought in midfield, with Benítez’s side struggling to establish rhythm. The visitors also found themselves unsettled by the pace on the wings, as De la Torre and Williot Swedberg pressed high and disrupted Valencia’s build-ups.
A second penalty further shifted the tone of the game. Domínguez was adjudged to have handled the ball following Douvikas’s cross, and Pepelu again stepped forward, capitalizing with a confident strike to draw the scoreline to 2-1 and flip the momentum momentarily back toward the home side.
As the first half reached its end, Valencia looked to reassert control, generating several set-piece threats. Valencia’s late pressure produced multiple chances that were saved by an alert Williot Swedberg, whose interventions preserved the two-goal cushion for Celta heading into the break.
When the second half began, the tempo remained high. Celta aimed to steady themselves and quiet the stirring atmosphere, while Valencia pushed to force a comeback. Diego López remained a constant threat on the left, but Pepelu and Villar combined to neutralize danger around the box. Fran Pérez’s clever movements helped unlock pockets of space, and Pepelu and Fran Pérez knitted several sequences that nearly produced another goal for the visitors.
Baraja reacted by shuffling his deck, bringing on Gayà, Guillamón, and Yaremchuk in a bid to alter the balance and inject new energy into the attack. Benítez answered with Manu Sánchez and Mingueza to shore up the defense while maintaining pressing pressure.
With ten minutes remaining, a dramatic moment unfolded as Yaremchuk appeared to connect with a cross but found himself denied by a nervy Villar. The save underlined Valencia’s ongoing trouble finishing chances, and it seemed the night might drift toward a tense finale. Then Douvikas delivered a decisive blow, finishing through the collective defense to seal the 3-1 victory for Celta and book their place in the quarterfinals.
Data sheet:
1 – Valencia: Jaume Doménech; Thierry, Paulista, Yarek, Jesús Vázquez (Gayà, d.63); Fran Pérez (Guillamón, m.63), Pepelu, Javi Guerra (Yaremchuk, m.75), Diego López (Otorbi, m.81); Hugo Duro and Alberto Marí (Canós, m.46)
3 – Celta de Vigo: Iván Villar; Kevin Vázquez (Manu Sánchez, m.64) Starfelt, Carlos Domínguez, Mihailo Ristic (Mingueza, m.63); Miguel Rodríguez (Hugo Álvarez, m.87), Fran Beltrán (Tapia, m.78), Sotelo, Luca de la Torre, Williot Swedberg; Douvikas
Goals: 1-0, m.13: De la Torre. 2-0, m.18: Douvikas (p). 2-1, m.29: Pepelu (p). 3-1, m.80: Douvikas
Referee: De Burgos Bengoechea (Basque). Yarek, Kevin Vázquez, and Swedberg were cautioned during the match.
Events: Copa del Rey Round of 16 clash played before 44,456 spectators at Mestalla. A minute of silence was observed in memory of former Valencian player Ricardo Alós.
Notes: This summary reflects reports and statistics from official match records and post-match assessments reported by Marca and other outlets, with emphasis on the tactical flows and decisive moments that defined the result.