RC Celta de Vigo


Real Club Celta de Vigo, commonly known as Celta Vigo or simply Celta, is a Spanish professional football club based in Vigo, Galicia, currently playing in La Liga. It was founded on 23 August 1923 following the merger of Real Vigo Sporting and Real Fortuna Football Club. Nicknamed Os Celestes, they play in sky blue shirts and socks along with white shorts. The club's home stadium is the Balaídos, which seats 29,000 spectators. Celta's name is derived from the Celts who were once present in the region. Its main rival is fellow Galician club Deportivo de La Coruña, with whom it contests the Galician derby.
Celta have never won the league title nor Copa del Rey, although they have reached the final three times in the latter. The club finished in their best-ever position of fourth in 2002–03, qualifying for the 2003–04 UEFA Champions League, where they were eliminated by Arsenal in the round of 16. In the 2016–17 UEFA Europa League, Celta reached the semi-finals for the first time, losing to Manchester United.

History

Foundation

R.C. Celta de Vigo was formed as a result of the ambition of Vigo's teams to achieve more at national level, where the Basque sides had been their bête noire in the Spanish Championship. The idea was to merge both teams to create a more powerful team at national level. The standard-bearer of this movement was Manuel de Castro, known as "Handicap", a sports writer for the Faro de Vigo who, from 1915, began to write in his articles about the need for a unitarian movement. The slogan of his movement was "Todo por y para Vigo", which eventually found support among the managers of Real Vigo Sporting and Real Club Fortuna de Vigo. It was backed unanimously when de Castro himself presented the motion at the assembly of the Royal Spanish Football Federation in Madrid on 22 June 1923.
On 12 July 1923, at the annual general meetings of Vigo and Fortuna held at the Odeon Theatre and in the Hotel Moderno, respectively, the merger was approved. Thus the "Team of Galicia" was born, as it was dubbed. In the last AGM of Fortuna and Vigo to approve the formation of a new club held on 10 August 1923, the members decided upon the team's name. Various names suggested include "Real Unión de Vigo", "Club Galicia", "Real Atlántic", "Breogán" and "Real Club Olimpico". The latter name was popular, but they eventually decided on "Real Club Celta", an ethnic race linked to Galicia. The first president of Celta was Manuel Bárcena de Andrés, the Count of Torre Cedeira. At this AGM, the squad was also decided, which numbered 64 players in total and included some notable players from both Fortuna and Vigo, and managed by Francis Cuggy.
In 1947–48, Celta ranked a joint-best 4th and reached the Copa del Generalísimo Final, where they lost 4–1 to Sevilla FC. Local striker Pahiño, who took the Pichichi Trophy for 21 goals in 22 games that season, subsequently moved to Real Madrid.

EuroCelta and subsequent decline

Celta were dubbed "EuroCelta" by the Spanish press as a result of their European exploits in the late 1990s and early 2000s. This included a 4–1 aggregate win against Liverpool in a run to the quarter-finals of the 1998–99 UEFA Cup. In the next season's edition they again reached the last eight, with a 4–0 second leg win over Juventus and a 7–0 home win against Benfica. Domestically, the team reached the 2001 Copa del Rey Final, losing 3–1 to Real Zaragoza in Seville.
Key players during the period included Alexander Mostovoi, Valery Karpin and Haim Revivo, though the squad also relied upon other international players as well, such as goalkeeper Pablo Cavallero; defender and future coach Eduardo Berizzo, midfielders Claude Makélélé and Mazinho; winger Gustavo López; and strikers Catanha and Lyuboslav Penev, amongst others.
In 2002–03, Celta came 4th under Miguel Ángel Lotina and qualified for the 2003–04 UEFA Champions League. They went out in the last 16 to Arsenal 5–2 on aggregate. Domestically that year, the team came 19th and suffered relegation to the Segunda División. Although the squad was heavily dismantled following the demotion, Celta earned an immediate return to the top flight after finishing second in 2004–05.
In 2006–07, Celta finished in 18th and were once again relegated to the Segunda División. The team subsequently fought against relegation to the third tier, and the risk of bankruptcy. This trend was bucked in the 2010–11 season, when new striker David Rodríguez, winger Enrique de Lucas and manager Paco Herrera helped them finish sixth. They were eliminated in the first knockout round by Granada after a penalty shootout, the game having finished 1–1 in 90 minutes.

Return to La Liga and Europe

On 3 June 2012, Celta returned to La Liga after a five-year absence. In their first season back, they avoided relegation to the Segunda División on the final day after beating RCD Espanyol 1–0 to ensure a 17th-place finish.
Under "EuroCelta" veteran Eduardo Berizzo in 2015–16, Celta came 6th for their best result in a decade and earned a spot in the 2016–17 UEFA Europa League. In their return to European competitions, Celta reached the semi-finals of the 2016–17 UEFA Europa League, where they were eliminated in the semifinals by eventual champions Manchester United.

Club identity

Kit

Celta's original team strip consisted of a red shirt, black shorts and blue socks. This was later changed at an unknown date to the traditional sky blue and white strip, representative of the Galician flag.
Celta had the longest-running sponsorship deal in Spanish football, and one of the longest-running in the world, with the French automobile manufacturer Citroën from 1985 to 2016. The company established its plant within walking distance from Balaídos in 1958, and first sponsored the club's women's basketball team in 1980. In 2016, the sponsor was changed to the Galician brewery Estrella Galicia, which had advertised on the back of the shirts since 2011. Their business deal with kit supplier, Umbro, was also one of the longest-running ones, from 1986 to 2010.
YearsKit manufacturerSponsor
1980–82MeybaNone
1982–86AdidasNone
1986–10UmbroCitroën
2010–13Li-NingCitroën
2013–16AdidasCitroën
2016–AdidasEstrella Galicia

Crest

Like many other Galician clubs, such as Compostela and Racing Ferrol, the club badge is based on the red cross of Saint James. On top of the cross sits a sky blue shield with two "C" letters. In 1923, Celta became one of several Spanish football clubs that were granted patronage by the Spanish crown and thus entitled to use Real in their names and the royal crown on their badge. This right was granted to Celta by Alfonso XIII, and the club subsequently became known as Real Club Celta de Vigo. During the Spanish Second Republic, the title Real was removed from the club's name and the royal crown was taken off the club crest; however, it was returned under the Spanish State.

Seasons




----
  • 54 seasons in La Liga
  • 32 seasons in Segunda División
  • 1 season in Segunda División B
  • 1 season in Tercera División

    European history

SeasonRoundCompetitionClubHomeAwayAggregate
1971–72UEFA CupFirst round Aberdeen0–20–10–3
1998–99UEFA CupFirst round Argeș Pitești7–01–08–0
1998–99UEFA CupSecond round Aston Villa0–13–13–2
1998–99UEFA CupThird round Liverpool3–11–04–1
1998–99UEFA CupQuarter-finals Marseille1–20–01–2
1999–00UEFA CupFirst round Lausanne4–02–36–3
1999–00UEFA CupSecond round Aris2–22–04–2
1999–00UEFA CupThird round Benfica7–01–18–1
1999–00UEFA CupFourth round Juventus0–14–04–1
1999–00UEFA CupQuarter-finals Lens0–01–21–2
2000UEFA Intertoto CupThird round Pelister3–02–15–1
2000UEFA Intertoto CupSemi–finals Aston Villa1–02–13–1
2000UEFA Intertoto CupFinals Zenit2–12–24–3
2000–01UEFA CupFirst round Rijeka0–01–01–0
2000–01UEFA CupSecond round Red Star0–13–03–1
2000–01UEFA CupThird round Shakhtar Donetsk0–01–01–0
2000–01UEFA CupFourth round Stuttgart0–02–12–1
2000–01UEFA CupQuarter-finals Barcelona3–21–24–4
2001–02UEFA CupFirst round Sigma Olomouc4–03–47–4
2001–02UEFA CupSecond round Slovan Liberec3–10–33–4
2002–03UEFA CupFirst round Odense2–00–12–1
2002–03UEFA CupSecond round Viking3–01–14–1
2002–03UEFA CupThird round Celtic2–10–12–2
2003–04UEFA Champions LeagueThird qualifying round Slavia Prague3–00–23–2
2003–04UEFA Champions LeagueGroup H Ajax3–20–12nd
2003–04UEFA Champions LeagueGroup H Club Brugge1–11–12nd
2003–04UEFA Champions LeagueGroup H Milan0–02–12nd
2003–04UEFA Champions LeagueRound of 16 Arsenal2–30–22–5
2006–07UEFA CupFirst round Standard Liège1–03–04–0
2006–07UEFA CupGroup H Eintracht Frankfurt1–12nd
2006–07UEFA CupGroup H Newcastle United1–22nd
2006–07UEFA CupGroup H Fenerbahçe1–02nd
2006–07UEFA CupGroup H Palermo1–12nd
2006–07UEFA CupRound of 32 Spartak Moscow1–12–13–2
2006–07UEFA CupRound of 16 Werder Bremen0–10–20–3
2016–17UEFA Europa LeagueGroup G Ajax2–22–32nd
2016–17UEFA Europa LeagueGroup G Standard Liège1–11–12nd
2016–17UEFA Europa LeagueGroup G Panathinaikos2–02–02nd
2016–17UEFA Europa LeagueRound of 32 Shakhtar Donetsk0–12–02–1
2016–17UEFA Europa LeagueRound of 16 Krasnodar2–12–04–1
2016–17UEFA Europa LeagueQuarter-finals Genk3–21–14–3
2016–17UEFA Europa LeagueSemi-finals Manchester United0–11–11–2

Current squad

Reserve team

Out on loan

Club records

As of 17 January 2020
  • Most league goals – 107, Hermidita
  • Most Primera División league goals – 104, Hermidita
  • Most goals in a season – 69,
  • Most league appearances – 432, Manolo
  • Current player with most league appearances – 221, Hugo Mallo
  • Biggest win and biggest home win – 10–1
  • Biggest away win – 1–6
  • Biggest defeat and biggest away defeat – 10–0
  • Most Home points in a season – 46
  • Most Away points in a season – 25
  • Record transfer fee paid – €13.5 million, Catanha from Málaga
  • Record transfer fee received – €21 million, Stanislav Lobotka to Napoli

    Player records

As of 22 February 2020

Most appearances

Most goals

Internationals playing at Celta

Club officials

Board of directors

Coaches

Presidents

Celta Vigo B

is Celta's youth team. It was founded in 1996 and plays in the Segunda División B.

Honours

National titles

  • Segunda División
  • Segunda División B
  • Tercera División
  • Copa del Rey

    European titles

  • UEFA Intertoto Cup

    Regional titles

  • Galician Championship
  • :es:Campeonato Mancomunado Astur-Gallego|Asturian-Galician Championship
  • :es:Copa Galicia de Fútbol|Galician Cup
  • Trofeo Federación Galega
  • Copa Comunidad Gallega

    Friendly and unofficial tournaments

  • Trofeo Cidade de Vigo
  • Trofeo Memorial Quinocho
  • :es:Trofeo Luis Otero|Trofeo Luis Otero
  • :es:Trofeo Emma Cuervo|Trofeo Emma Cuervo
  • TIM Trophy
  • Teresa Herrera Trophy
  • :es:Trofeo Xacobeo|Trofeo Xacobeo
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