Elche and Celta both enter today match after first win before the international break, and both want second. Elche win away at Espanyol even with one man less from minute 6. Celta gol Racing de Santander inside Balaidos, giving dem five.
Elche return to LaLiga with high morale and want give first joy to fans for Martinez Valero. For there, dem don get worst start for Primera with three straight defeats. For last two, against Real Sociedad (2-3) and Real Madrid (2-3), dem equalize 0-2 but lose late goal.
Coach Martin Anselmi go need change defense because Fede Redondo out, expelled for RCDE Stadium. Bigas likely take im place. Rest of starting XI go similar. Sangare, wey comot injured last match, recover during break. Josan also available after dem release am without charges following arrest over alleged mistreatment last Tuesday.
Celta try restart competition as dem finish before break. Dem no know defeat for LaLiga away. Coach insist priority na this match, dem park Europa League date Thursday for Balaidos against Juventus until later. Aspas, now with medical green light, return to squad. Miguel Roman, Starfelt and Jones El-Abdellaoui no dey squad due injury. Sensitive absences, mainly the midfielder because of im importance for Giraldez system.
Di match also bring Fer Nino vs Duran. Both dey in form and both score double last matchday. Elche man also get three other goals for campaign, so im don reach five. Elche dey find am hard at home and Celta never lose away. The celestes also take the step dem need by turning play into goals last matchday. Dem be dangerous team.
Aleix Febas story dey around this match. Dem talk for inside Martinez Valero say Febas doubt until last moment whether to renew with Elche or go Celta. Im people claim im decide some hours before im announce publicly say im leave Elche. Voice crack, tears for eyes and suitcase full of memories. Na so Febas leave, heading Vigo. Before im even start im car from Martinez Valero, fans already miss am. Because Febas leave legacy, mark wey no go wipe for city of palms.
Elche go give am small homage this midday before match. If nothing happen, the Catalan go collect another ovation from Martinez Valero, the place wey be im home for three seasons and 117 matches as franjiverde. E no go be ordinary applause, e go be recognition for im commitment and quality.
For many, Febas be Elche most profitable signing for recent years because im arrive free for summer 2023 from Malaga after traumatic relegation to Segunda B. Operation to carry Febas to Elche cook slow. Sports director follow im steps for months. The fact say im handle pressure for Malaga, big place, be key for why the ilerdense chosen. At that time, offers pile for im agent table. Many carry better conditions pass wetin Elche offer. But one key move happen: club force meeting between Sebastian Beccacece, Elche coach then, and the player. The coach, for im house for Los Arenales del Sol, put last drop of sweat to push Febas toward Elche. There the Catalan commit. Rest, everybody know.
Three intense years, from less to more, until im leave Martinez Valero through big door with promotion to Primera and permanence. But apart from talent, people remember Febas involvement. Forever, that press conference when im offer to step out before final against Getafe. Suspended and unable to play, im step forward to face media and send message of union. Even then people already talk about im possible exit. ‘No tengo firmado nada con nadie,’ Febas talk for that press conference full of sincerity. The Catalan no lie because to leave Elche, with a son from Elche, cost am plenty.
Febas be flag of Sarabia project. The midfielder grab team by lapel until im turn Elche helm. Last year im end as player for LaLiga wey dem foul pass and one of players wey give most passes for opponent half. All that wake Celta interest, and dem fight for Febas signature until end because Catalan get plenty doubts. Franjiverde fans push well well after ‘Febas, quedate’ turn almost anthem. If doubt remain, during this break the Catalan show im feeling for Elche, like im still get nostalgia for im past for Martinez Valero. ‘El Elche es el club de mi vida. Me lo ha dado todo.’ This message sound for Ser Deportivos Vigo microphones on 25 September. Febas start season with discomfort and don play small (185 minutes), but today im go wear im lights suit for plaza wey mark am forever.
Elche-Celta go carry Aleix return. Martinez Valero, after this rest, wait with eager for return of one of im idols. Three weeks of tense waiting because Elche, like Celta, leave with victory for bag. Now no truce, especially for Giraldez side, as complicated calendar wait and Juventus dey horizon. Anselmi, wey take break serious (with stage and two friendlies inside), praise Celta. Even the Argentine admit say im share plenty tastes with Giraldez. Ball go key for return of Febas wey dey rub im hands. If something shine for Catalan, na to lead possession. Everything set for most special day of im career.
For preview, Martin Anselmi confess say Celta of Giraldez play good football. ‘Na team wey play football well and dem dey show am for several seasons. I think the coach and I share certain football sensibilities and taste for play. Na team wey sabi care for ball, attack and find advantages,’ im talk. Im also talk about long break and idea to collect first home win. ‘Desire to win dey from first minute and first match. No be because we never win make we get more desire. We want win all matches and, obviously, also for home. Yes, we get desire to meet our fans again and play again. Break give us some benefits, but staying so long without football dey long too. We want compete. Training without competing sometimes dey long,’ im talk. Im lay out how im team go act against the olivico side. ‘We must be intelligent with ball, know when to accelerate and when to keep am, identify spaces and advantages when dem jump to press. If we install for opponent half, we must get patience to attack, because dem dey join body, close and protect dem goal well. When time reach to defend, we go need know when to press and when to stay together,’ im analyze.
