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Sparks will fly when Celta Vigo host Union Saint-Gilloise in the league phase of the UEFA Europa League at Estadio Abanca Balaidos on Thursday.
The visitors have been nothing short of impressive in recent weeks and will set their sights on a fifth consecutive victory.
Celta Vigo, meanwhile, are hoping to turn their fortunes around.
Read our Celta Vigo vs Union Saint-Gilloise prediction, preview and betting tips below, and make sure to check out our today's betting tips page for more of our expert predictions, as well as our bet365 welcome offer.
Celta Vigo vs Union Saint-Gilloise key stats
- Union Saint-Gilloise are currently on a 13-game unbeaten run.
- The visitors opened the scoring in three of their last four matches.
- At least three goals were scored in four of Celta Vigo's last five fixtures.
Celta Vigo vs Union Saint-Gilloise preview: Can the visitors hold their own?
Celta Vigo vs Union Saint-Gilloise — Tale of the Tape
| Celta Vigo | vs | Union Saint-Gilloise |
|---|---|---|
| 25th | Position | 6th |
| 3 | Points | 7 |
| 3 | Goals For | 8 |
| 4 | Goals Against | 1 |
| 0 | Clean Sheets | 2 |
| 27th | Home / Away Rank | 18th |
*These figures were accurate at the time of publishing.
Celta Vigo's struggles continued with a humiliating 3-0 defeat at Rayo Vallecano over the weekend; they have now gone back-to-back games without winning or scoring a goal.
The La Liga outfit have had a disappointing campaign so far, having won only three of 14 competitive matches this season. They have lost two of their three Europa League fixtures and are 25th in the league phase with three points.
Hugo Gonzalez sustained a muscle injury in last weekend's defeat to Rayo Vallecano; the 23-year-old midfielder joins Carl Starfelt (hamstring), Borja Iglesias (calf), Alvaro Nunez (thigh), and Jones El-Abdellaoui (knee) on the sidelines for Celta Vigo.
Head coach Claudio Giraldez will likely make noticeable changes to the team that started against Rayo, with Iago Aspas, Williot Swedberg, and Pablo Duran all expected to return to the starting XI.
On the other hand, it was business as usual for Union Saint-Gilloise over the weekend, as they defeated SK Beveren 2-1 on the road, despite playing with 10 men for over half an hour.
The visitors have now won four consecutive matches across all competitions and are unbeaten in their last 13 fixtures. Interestingly, they have not lost a game in regulation time this season.
David Hubert's troops have been a free scoring side, having found the net 14 times in their last four outings. They are sixth in the league phase, having earned seven points from a possible nine.
Mateo Biondic (ankle), Ilan Hurtevent (hamstring), and Kevin Mac Allister (ACL) are all confirmed out, while the availability of Ondrej Kricfalusi and Rob Schoofs remains questionable.
Raul Florucz's three-game scoring run ended last weekend against Beveren. The Austrian forward is expected to partner Relebohile Mofokeng up front as he looks to return to scoring ways.
This will be the first encounter between these sides. Celta Vigo are unbeaten in eight previous clashes with Belgian opponents (W3, D5), while Union SG have drawn one and lost one of their two competitive meetings with Spanish teams.
Celta Vigo vs Union Saint-Gilloise form guide & betting tips
| Celta Vigo | vs | Union Saint-Gilloise |
|---|---|---|
L
L
W
|
Europa League Form |
W
D
W
|
| 3 | Goals For | 8 |
| 4 | Goals Against | 1 |
L
W
W
D
L
|
Form (All Comps) |
D
W
W
W
W
|
Whispers Predicts: Celta Vigo 2-3 Union Saint-Gilloise
Priced at 27/20 (2.35), Celta Vigo are considered favourites by the bookmakers ahead of this clash.
However, the hosts' recent run of results does not inspire much confidence, and considering Union Saint-Gilloise's winning streak, we are confident that the visitors will claim all the spoils in a high-scoring affair.
Raul Florucz has found the net in three of his last four appearances for Union Saint-Gilloise. He can be backed at 2/1 (3.00) to score anytime on Thursday night.
We also fancy Union Saint-Gilloise to score first at 11/10 (2.10), as was the case in three of the visiting team's last four fixtures.
> Over 2.5 total goals at 8/11 (1.73) | Likelihood: Probable
> Union Saint-Gilloise to score first at 11/10 (2.10) | Likelihood: Probable
> Match result: Union Saint-Gilloise at 21/10 (3.10) | Likelihood: Possible
> Raul Florucz to score anytime at 2/1 (3.00) | Likelihood: Possible
> Correct Score: 2-3 at 29/1 (30.00) | Likelihood: Outsider