Joel Amorim

After spending five tortuous seasons in the Liga Adelante (the Spanish second division), the historical Galician team of Celta Vigo are back in La Liga.

Over the last decade, Celta Vigo have experienced a mix of sensations, going from glory to shame. The Galician side won the Intertoto Cup in 2000 and then finished fourth in the 2002/03 La Liga campaign, thus gaining a place in the Champions League. Then though they suffered the pain of relegation, while in the very same year reaching the first knockout round of the Champions League. A return to La Liga was immediate, but in two seasons’ time Celta Vigo were relegated once again.

The era of skilful players, of the likes of Russian duo Alexander Mostovoi and Valery Karpin, was gone and Celta Vigo found themselves lost in the dungeons of the second tier.

In 2010, a new manager, Paco Herrera, took the wheel at Los Balaidos. This was a turning of the page for Celta Vigo. Herrera brought a new mentality and a new tactical plan, and Los Celestes seemed to be reborn from the ashes. Last season, after a very difficult campaign, where they were neck and neck with Real Valladolid until the finish line, Celta Vigo finished second and the team were automatically promoted back to La Liga.

Herrera was the man behind the curtain for the Galician side and, against all the odds, he drove his team to a desperately needed and desired promotion. This season may very well be a new era for Celta Vigo, a fresh start, a giant leap from the Liga Adelante to one of the best leagues in the world, La Liga.

Celta Vigo boast an interesting squad, with a mixture of experienced players and young talents. The manager seems to strongly believe in Celta’s youth system and has handed several up and coming starlets the chance to impress, while also bagging a number of seasoned professionals.

Goalkeeper Javi Varas is a new arrival at Celta, but he has already proven his worth. The 30-year-old arrived on loan from Sevilla after spending several seasons with Los Rojiblancos. Varas is an experienced goalkeeper and brings Celta Vigo the consistency they need between the sticks.

In defence, Andres Tunez, a Spanish-Venezuelan centre back, stands firm. A product of Celta Vigo’s academy, his strong marking and positioning skills are a major asset for Los Celestes.

There can be few more influential figures in the team than Borja Oubina. The 30-year-old captain is another product of Celta’s youth system and his influence in the centre of midfield is often the key to the team’s success. Oubina is a former Spanish international and, after having returned from a severe injury in 2009, has been crucial for Celta’s recent success.

The flanks see Celta boast some interesting options, and none more so than Augusto Fernandez. Another new arrival, the 26-year-old flamboyant Argentinian right winger has produced some solid displays so far this season and looks a wise acquisition. Michael Krohn-Dehli meanwhile, is also a fresh face at Los Balaidos. The 29-year-old winger shone at Euro 2012 with Denmark and after four years at Brondby is enjoying a good start to life at a new club, in a new league and in a new country.

The star of Celta Vigo’s side is undoubtedly Iago Aspas though. The 25-year-old is the club’s most successful youth product. At Celta since 1995, he wears the charismatic number ten shirt that once belonged to “El Zar” Mostovoi, probably the finest Celta player of all time. Iago Aspas was the team’s top scorer last season with 23 goals, while in the current campaign he already scored three times in La Liga. Should he continue to impress in the top flight, keeping hold of him could prove a tall order for Celta.

In the dugout sits Herrera, who worked as assistant manager to Rafael Benitez at Liverpool between 2004 and 2006. The Spaniard has implemented a 4-2-3-1 formation, with two strong defensive midfielders (Oubina and Alex Lopez) and put into practice a quick counter attacking style. Herrera’s chosen formation is easily transformed into a 4-5-1, ideal for away games against stronger teams.

Recently Celta visited the Camp Nou to take on Barcelona. While Herrera’s men went down to a 3-1 defeat, they did emerge with much credit, producing a display which inspired the club’s fans to hope for a positive, relegation-free, campaign. At the time of writing, Celta sit 15th in La Liga, but with more performances of the ilk of that at the Camp Nou suggest the Galician side may find the calmer waters of mid-table soon.