Claudio Giráldez expressed his frustration after another defeat, lamenting that his team struggles when they are considered favorites. The Celta coach saw his side fall to a relegation-threatened opponent once again at Balaídos.
“These are teams at the same level as us, and we fail to understand that. When you think you are better than a rival of equal standing, you lose. Drop your intensity by even one percent, and this happens. We believe there is a gap in quality, but there isn’t. The moment we stop being humble, we lose matches,” Giráldez said.
He also addressed the missed opportunity to secure a fifth-place finish: “My focus is on reaching Europe. The sooner we all think that way, the easier it will be. Repeating a European campaign for a second year is very difficult. I hope we can replicate what we did today, but over the full 90 minutes.”
Giráldez emphasized the parity in LaLiga: “Our level is the same as Oviedo, Alavés, Levante, or Mallorca. It is a great achievement that we are sixth and still in control of our destiny.” Despite the setback, he remained optimistic: “I am convinced we will make it. I see the team alive, and we have two matchdays to seal it.”
Keywords: Celta, Giráldez, humility, LaLiga, European qualification, Balaídos