Rafa Benítez brought a squad hungry for success as Celta opened LaLiga EA Sports with optimism from a strong pre season, only to be brought back to earth in their first official clash against Osasuna. The hosts struck twice, first through Rubén García in the opening half and then by Moi Gómez after the break, exposing a gap between the early promise and the demanding reality of top flight football.
Jagoba Arrasate set the tone with a sharp game plan that stifled Celtas power. Benítez’s side appeared subdued compared to the energy they showed in pre season. There was concern about how the ball was moving and how the team was structuring play, leaving supporters wondering if the spark from summer had faded away on matchday one.
Celta’s best moment arrived when Montaola misplaced and Larsen capitalized with a quick break. The Norwegian striker checked to his left foot and delivered a clean shot, but it drifted wide, and Aspas’s companion still waited for a finishing touch that never came.
In the first half Osasuna dominated the narrative, gripping command of the tempo and the ball. Arrasate judged the field well, and Benítez responded with tactical tweaks, including moving Cervi to left back and leaving Renato Tapia, an imposing presence in midfield, on the bench. The Basque manager controlled the flow through the middle and shielded the defense while heavy crosses targeted the Galician box.
From the flanks, Osasuna produced hazardous balls that tested the defense, particularly when deliveries found Budimir in space. He controlled a chest pass from Moncayola, shifted his body, and fired a shot that beat Iván Villar but struck the crossbar and remained a warning rather than a goal. The pattern continued as the visitors persisted with aerial pressure, a challenge for a Celta defense that showed fragility in the air under pressure.
Celta clung to the game as another risky ball hung in their area surfaced at twenty minutes. Budimir found the window when Mingueza and Aidoo miscommunicated, and the header fumbled by the defense forced a save from Villar, with Rubén García finishing the rebound to open the scoring. A second goal soon followed, this time a well-timed header from Catena that found the back of the net as the home defense faltered.
Benítez acted to calm the tide by adding depth in the back line with Starfelt coming in as a swift, physical presence. Before the break Larsen nearly leveled the score with a long run and a leftward surge, but his strike skimmed away from the target as the whistle neared.
The second half began with a quicker rhythm as Celta tried to imprint themselves on the match. Budimir extended Osasuna’s lead with a precise finish from close range, and the warning signs multiplied for the visitors as the game headed further in favor of the away team’s opponents.
Aspas, seeking a revival in the attack, found opportunities but lacked the finishing edge that had sparked his best seasons. Mojica misplaced a pass, giving Moncayola a moment to disrupt the balance, and his shot did not find the intended target. The sequence demonstrated how tiny margins were deciding the fate of the contest for Celta.
Benítez responded by reshaping the lineup, bringing in Miguel Rodríguez and Gabri Veiga, the latter a young talent who had shown promise during the prior season. Veiga made his presence felt as the minutes ticked on, showing the kind of energy and intent that had defined his early career. Yet Osasuna remained a problem, responding with discipline and a compact defensive block that limited the chances for the visitors.
As the clock wound down, Osasuna’s lead looked increasingly secure. The final whistle confirmed a difficult start for Celta, a setback for the club’s ambitions and a reminder that a successful preseason does not automatically translate to league points. The team will need to translate the summer optimism into consistent, in-season form if they are to challenge the upper reaches of LaLiga.
The eventful opening day drew a large crowd to the Balaídos stadium, underscoring the energy around the club and the league. A fresh start, albeit with rough edges, left fans with a message: there is work to be done, and time to prove the potential that critics and supporters alike expect from a team under Benítez’s watch.
Data sheet:
0 – Celtic: Ivan Villar; Mingueza, Aidoo, Unai Núñez, Cervi (Manu Sánchez, min.81); Carles Pérez (Miguel Rodríguez, min.62), Hugo Sotelo (Luca de la Torre, min.81), Fran Beltrán, Bamba; Aspas (Swedberg, min.81) and Larsen (Gabri Veiga, min.72).
2 – Osasuna: Sergio Herrera; Pena, Catena, David Garcia, Mojica; Torró (Iker Muñoz, min.89, Moncayola (Arnáiz, min.89); Rubén García (Pablo Ibáñez, min.66), Aimar Oroz (Areso, min.79), Moi Gómez and Budimir (Chimy Ávila, min. 79) ).
Goals: 0-1, min 23: Rubén García. 0-2, min.73: Moi Gomez.
Referee: González Fuertes (Asturian committee). He warned Unai Núñez (min. 30) for Celta and Torró (min. 50) for Osasuna.
events: The match, which corresponds to the first day of LaLiga EA Sports, was played in front of 20,269 spectators at the Abanca Balaídos stadium.