Celta de Vigo and Union Saint-Gilloise meet at the Estadio Abanca-Balaídos in Vigo on Thursday, November 5, 2026, for their fourth match of the UEFA Europa League stage. The fixture, scheduled for 21:00 (CET), marks the first official competitive encounter between the two clubs.
Union Saint-Gilloise Holds Strong League Position While Celta Struggles
The two sides enter the match with contrasting momentum in the competition. Union Saint-Gilloise sits in sixth place with seven points from three matches, remaining undefeated in the league stage. The Belgian side has scored eight goals while conceding only one. Conversely, Celta de Vigo currently occupies 25th place with three points, having recorded one win and two losses.
Celta’s domestic form has also been difficult, following a 3-0 loss to Rayo Vallecano. Reflecting on that performance, manager Claudio Giráldez noted:
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La explicación es sencilla: hemos defendido mal. Cuando defiendes mal, pues te vas con tres y han podido ser cuatro
Claudio Giráldez, Celta de Vigo manager
Union Saint-Gilloise arrives in Vigo riding a streak of four consecutive wins across all competitions. Their most recent result was a 1-2 victory against KVRS Waasland-SK Beveren, and their European campaign has included a 4-0 success against Hapoel Beer Sheva.
Visiting Team Faces Multiple Player Absences
For the visitors, David Hubert cannot call upon Kevin Mac Allister, Fedde Leysen, Ondrej Kricfalusi, Rob Schoofs, Mateo Biondic, or Ilan Hurtevent.
| Team | Projected Starting XI |
|---|---|
| Celta de Vigo | Radu; Javi Rodríguez, Cáceres, Alonso; Javi Rueda, Moriba, Febas, Carreira; Hugo Álvarez, Jutglá, Pablo Durán |
| Union Saint-Gilloise | Koffi; Chibani, Sylla, Havenaar; Patris, Zeneli, Van de Perre, Smith; Mofokeng, Florucz, Kevin Rodríguez |
Spanish Viewers Can Watch the Match on Movistar
Fans in Spain can watch the match live through Movistar Plus+ and M+ Liga de Campeones channels. The match kicks off at 21:00 (peninsular time) at the Estadio Abanca-Balaídos.
Clubs Meet for the First Time with Key Players Featured
While the two clubs have no history of official meetings, both have recent experience in European competition. Celta reached the quarter-finals of the 2025-26 Europa League.
Key players to watch include Javi Rodríguez for Celta, who scored twice in the Europa League, and Union’s Raul Florucz and Relebohile Mofokeng, who have been identified as primary attacking threats. Celta will be looking to capitalize on home advantage to climb out of the bottom of the table, while the visitors aim to maintain their position near the top of the standings.
